Music

Intent

Music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. (Department of Education, National Curriculum)

At Brindle St James’ we believe that music plays an important role in helping children to feel ‘rooted in God’s love’.  We provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience.

Music teaching at Brindle St James’ CE 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.

Music lessons enable 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

Here at Brindle St. James’, we deliver the requirements of the National Curriculum through the use of the Charanga scheme of work. Teachers follow a progressive scheme of work, in half-termly units. Each unit of work has an on-going musical learning focus and lessons usually follow a specific learning sequence:

 · Listen and Appraise

· Musical Activities (including pulse and rhythm)

· Singing and Voice

· Playing instruments

· Improvisation / Composition

· Perform and Share

Our progression model also follows the same learning sequence to ensure all interrelated elements of music are covered and implemented. Within the EYFS setting, music is an integral part of children’s learning journey. Rhyme and rhythm are utilised throughout the learning of phonics, handwriting and mathematics. Children learn a wide range of songs and rhymes and develop skills for performing together. Singing and music making opportunities are used frequently to embed learning, develop musical awareness and to demonstrate how music can be used to express feelings.

Performance is at the heart of musical teaching and learning at Brindle St. James’ and pupils participate in a range of performances during their musical journey. These include assemblies and the key stage performances at various times in the year, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others.

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 visiting teachers. We offer singing, piano and guitar.

Pupils also have the opportunity to join the school choir. The school choir is open to KS2 children on a weekly basis.  This gives them the opportunity to perform in school performances, carol concerts and a range of events both in school and at other venues. Last year they joined other schools in the Chorley area to perform in the annual Big Sing concert.

Impact

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

· Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).

· Annual reporting and tracking of standards across the curriculum.

· Photo and video evidence of the pupils practical learning.

· Use of the assessment tools provided within the Charanga scheme.

The subject leader for music is Mrs Stewart