Music
Intent – Why we teach music?
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Music teaching at Castle Primary School aims to follow the specifications of the National Curriculum; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum and ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills.
At Castle Primary we believe that music plays an important role in helping children to feel part of a school community, therefore we provide opportunities for children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through assemblies and key stage performances, children showcase their skills and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. Our tailored curriculum enables children to develop their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.
The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop pupils who:
· Enjoy and have an appreciation for music.
· Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, cultures, styles and traditions.
· Can sing and use their voices to create different effects.
· Create and compose music, both on their own and with others.
· Use a range of musical language.
· Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music.
· Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.
Implementation – How do we teach music?
Music teaching at Castle Primary delivers the requirements of the National Curriculum through our enquiry led approach. Music lessons are woven into the curriculum and an emphasis is placed on musical vocabulary, allowing children to talk about pieces of music using the correct terminology; musical composition and performance and listening to and appreciating a range of pieces of music.
Teachers can use Charanga as a tool to support their delivery. Adaptations are made using the ‘freestyle’ element of the package. Furthermore, when appropriate, teachers use the resources from The BBC Ten Pieces.
Alongside our curriculum provision for music, pupils also have the opportunity to participate in additional 1:1 music teaching by being offered the opportunity to learn a musical instrument with peripatetic teachers. Our peripatetic music teaching is organised by the BANES Music Service.
Children in Year 3 benefit from whole class specialist teaching, delivered by a member of the BANES Music Services. These lessons allow children the opportunity to learn to play an instrument as part of an ensemble and to engender a love of music learning. Throughout the sessions the interrelated elements of music are developed.
The school choir is open to Year 4 children and above on a weekly basis, with the average number of pupils being in the range of 30 to 40. Pupils in the school choir meet on Wednesdays 1pm and focus on singing in unison, developing harmony, solo performances and having fun! The school choir also have the opportunity to perform in school performances, carol concerts and have sung at a range of events both in school and at other venues.
Each week a new song is chosen and played at the beginning all assemblies. This gives children the opportunity to hear music and instruments they wouldn’t usually listen to or see. We learn about different composers and genre's of music. On a Friday the children have the opportunity to choose the assembly music.
Children in Year 1 to Year 6 attend weekly singing assemblies. During the assemblies children learn how to warm up their voices and how to position themselves when singing. Children learn new songs every few weeks and practise different skills. They learn how to use expression and articulation when they sing and how to use dynamics.
Impact
Our music Curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and build on and embed current skills.
We focus on progression of knowledge and skills in the different musical components and teaching of vocabulary also forms part of the units of work.
If children are achieving the knowledge and skills in lessons, then they are deemed to be making good or better progress. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
· Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
· Subject leader monitoring.
· Annual reporting and tracking of standards across the curriculum.
· Photo and video evidence of the pupils practical learning.
· Dedicated music leader time.
· The impact of our music curriculum is also measured in the uptake of our music school clubs and uptake of additional music 1:1 teaching.
