Intent

We aim to inspire pupils to develop a lifelong passion for music. Music is a unique and powerful tool of communication, and we want pupils to develop the confidence to perform and express themselves through music. Participation in music promotes listening and develops concentration. Studying music allows children to appreciate music from different cultures and to develop their understanding of a wide range of musical styles and traditions. We aim to support pupils to develop their critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills. In each year group, children are given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument (cornet in Years 3 and 4, and African drums in Years 5 and 6).

Knowledge in music can be understood as tacit, procedural or declarative. Tacit knowledge is gained through experiences with music, and pupils might not be aware they even know it. Procedural knowledge refers to the know-how of music. Declarative knowledge refers to the facts about music and includes knowledge of keys, chords and songs.

In accordance with the National Curriculum for Music (2014) we aim to 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

Music lessons take place once a week and last between 45 and 60 minutes and all children are given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. These take place in the form of a weekly whole class music lesson. In addition, there is a weekly music assembly, where children sing together and are given the opportunity to perform if they wish. Enrichment opportunities take place in the form of assemblies, choir, enrichment clubs and visitors to the school.

To support staff, we have implemented the Kapow Primary scheme, which provides lesson plans based upon the National Curriculum objectives and supports staff with CPD videos and resources. These are then adapted to suit the needs of the class, providing scaffolding and challenges.

By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils will have been taught to:

• sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. They should develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory
• play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
• improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music
• listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
• use and understand staff and other musical notations
• appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
• develop an understanding of the history of music

Regular assessment of learning takes place through observations, feedback during lessons, and end of topic evaluations to assess progress against specific objectives.

Impact

The impact of the music curriculum is regularly assessed by the subject leader and the class teachers. Formative strategies, including observations and questioning, are regularly used to determine pupil’s progress, and summative assessments will take place at the end of each unit in the form of Kapow’s End of Topic quiz. The subject leader will monitor teaching and learning regularly throughout the year and will gain feedback from pupils through pupil voice.