Music

‘Leaders take on or construct a curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life’

EIF 2019

‘Where words fail, music speaks.’ Hans Christian Andersen

Intent

Music teaching at Outwoods 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 Outwoods we believe that music plays an integral role in helping children to feel part of a community, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through assemblies and key stage performances, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. Lessons enable children to develop their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.

Implementation

Music teaching at Outwoods Primary School delivers the requirements of the National Curriculum through use of the Charanga scheme of work. Teachers follow the suggested scheme of work, although adaptations can be made using the ‘freestyle’ element of the package to substitute units deemed to be more appropriate for thematic learning in other curriculum areas.

Music lessons are broken down into half-termly units and an emphasis is placed on musical vocabulary, allowing children to talk about pieces of music using the correct terminology. 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.

Children in Year 3 benefit from whole class specialist teaching, delivered by a member of Warwickshire Music Services. In KS 2 the recorder is taught as part of music lessons at different times in the KS. These lessons allow children the opportunity to learn to play the flute as part of an ensemble and to engender a love of music learning. Throughout the sessions the interrelated elements of music are developed.

Performance is at the heart of musical teaching and learning at Outwoods Primary School and pupils participate in a range of performances during their school ‘career’. These include nativities, Easter singing, carnival songs, Talent Show (summer term) and a Leavers performance (Year 6).Pupils also take part in singing assemblies.  Parents are invited and welcomed to watch all of these performances whether at school or outside of school.

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 Warwickshire Music Service. 

Pupils in Year 5 have the opportunity to participate in Warwickshire Sings! which aims to raise the profile and quality of children’s singing within and beyond the curriculum and classroom and builds the skills and confidence of teachers and teaching assistants to lead and sustain singing in Outwoods for all children.

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).
•  Annual reporting and tracking of standards across the curriculum- through Target Tracker
•  Photo and video evidence of the pupils practical learning.
•  Use of the assessment tools provided within the Charanga scheme.
•  Dedicated music leader time.

The impact of our music curriculum is also measured in the uptake of our additional music 1:1 teaching.