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Music Subject Leader: Mrs G Horsler

For any more information on St Botolph’s Music Curriculum, please contact the office.

“To inspire self-confidence and a sense of achievement through musical creativity using composition and critical engagement.”

Intent

Our pupils are inspired and engaged in music education as it allows them to grow in self-confidence, creativity and gives them a sense of achievement. Music plays a key role in the curriculum and life at St Botolph’s C of E Primary School, especially singing, and is vital in our mission of creating aspirational pupils. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their musical potential and we aim to nurture and encourage musical development. All children will learn to sing and use their voices confidently with a variety of expression. They will have opportunities to perform, listen to and evaluate music across a range of periods, genres, styles and traditions. Their understanding of rhythm and pitch will be developed along with their understanding of how music is structured. They will learn the technical vocabulary to describe music and as a result be confident to articulate their learning in music. Pupils will learn to read notations and understand how music is created and communicated; have the opportunity to perform as part of an ensemble to wider audiences and have the opportunity to watch live music through our wide range of whole school educational experiences.

msuic at eyfs at st botolphs primary school
playing flutes in music lesson at st botolphs primary school

Implementation

Our music curriculum is taught weekly as a discrete subject, delivered by a music specialist and classroom teachers. We provide additional opportunities throughout the week to participate in and practice musical skills e.g. singing worship, Eucharist, choir practice, peripatetic tuition, talent shows, productions etc. Further exposure to music is embedded into our curriculum such as with times tables in maths, vocabulary in languages and movement in dance.

All pupils and staff join in with singing during our weekly singing worships and Eucharist worships. Performances, such as Christmas plays and end of year shows, demonstrate that music is important to the life of the school.

Our music specialist works with staff to support them in delivering music lessons that include:

  • composition and expression of ideas along with performing and the understanding of notation
  • improving children’s creativity through singing and the playing of different instruments.
  • investigating how music is expressed in different ways and how this has changed over the years.
  • appreciation of listening to different types of music from significant composers from Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods.

In KS1, children will develop an understanding through singing, listening and playing percussion instruments (both rhythm and tuned) and playing the ocarina whilst learning basic notation.

During KS2, children learn music history along with listening skills to recall sounds by memory.  Children learn more advanced notation, rhythms and musical terms which lead to performance of expression, fluency and control.

Impact

The impact of teaching music will be seen across the school with an increase in the profile of music. Whole-school and parental engagement will be improved through performances, extracurricular activities and the additional opportunities that we provide that support the music curriculum delivered within the classroom.

By the time children leave St Botolph’s, they will be confident musicians and performers who have positive wellbeing, improved self-esteem and be effective communicators. It will also be evident that over time, pupils’ musical skills and knowledge have increased. Pupils will have had an enriched experience of music through its use during our weekly worships, church services, performances and trips to watch live musical performances. Our engaging and valued music education will inspire our pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians and encourage them to want to continue building on this wealth of musical ability, now and in the future.

playing a piano at school
ludwig van beethoven quote

Music in Each Stage

Children learn music in EYFS under the umbrella of ‘expressive arts and design’.  Children learn to distinguish sounds and match instruments to these sounds.  Children learn to sing and perform simple songs, while clapping the beat or rhythm.  Children experiment with different sounds that their bodies can make.  In Early Years, children are encouraged to use instruments in their child-initiated learning time, using them to create sounds of animals or using sound to retell a story.

In Key Stage 1, children build upon their knowledge and understanding of instruments and sounds that they have experienced in EYFS.

In Key Stage 1 children should be taught to:

  • Use their voices expressively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes.
  • Play tuned and untuned instruments.
  • Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.
  • Make and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions.

In Key Stage 2, children develop their skills as musicians by having greater opportunities to explore the many dimensions of music.

In Key Stage 2 children should be taught to:

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using voice and playing instruments with increasing accuracy, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music using the interrelated dimensions of music separately and in combination.
  • Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory.
  • Use and understand the basics of the stave and other musical notations.
  • Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music from different traditions and from great musicians and composers.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Music Progression

The Music curriculum overview shows what each year group is learning throughout the school year.  The Music milestones show how our children can achieve each connecting stone during their time at Stone St Mary’s C of E Primary School.

Music Overview

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Music Curriculum Coverage

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Music Knowledge and Skills

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SEND Information

Our Music lessons are adapted for children that may need it.  There is support within class for our SEND children so that they can access the learning.  Lessons are monitored to make sure that children are all able to access the Music curriculum.

Music Extra Resources