Intent

At Brushwood Junior School, we want children to develop a positive attitude towards music and to see it as an engaging and inspiring subject. We want music to be seen as a universal language that provides highly creative opportunities for all children. Through listening, performing, composing and evaluating a range of high-quality music, we want to develop a love of music and for their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement to continue to grow.

We aim to provide high quality musical knowledge and understanding to each and every pupil according to their individual needs. Through the National Curriculum for England (2014) we ensure that all pupils:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations

Implementation

We have designed a broad curriculum, which has been derived from the National Curriculum, to make sure children are provided with a range of opportunities to develop their Music skills.

Each year group has a specific set of skills which they need to cover in the year, including: rhythm, playing and performing (vocal and instrumental), improvisation and composition, listening, appreciation, notation and music history. Each year is therefore mapped out so that all skills are covered across the whole academic year. These skills are built upon each year and therefore show gradual progression between each year group.

Enrichment opportunities in music are offered to the children at Brushwood Junior School. Rock Steady sessions take place weekly. Peripatetic teachers provide music lessons for children in all year groups, including recorder, guitars, violin and brass lessons.

Impact

Pupils learning Music at Brushwood;

•  understand how sounds are made and can be organised into musical structures
• develop the interrelated skills of composition, performance and musical appreciation
• develop an understanding of rhythm by clapping or using percussion instruments
• develop and nurture pupils’ sense of self and allow them opportunity to explore their own abilities
• play the beat of a simple piece of music and create musical phrases
• recognise the tempo, metre and melodic shapes of the music, dynamics and pitch
• sing a different part to others in the class
• perform as part of a group
• understand how music is influenced by the time, place and purpose for which it was written