Music

Intent

At The John Wesley CEM Primary School (JWS), it is our intent that we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences. Our pupils will learn that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. They will be inspired and engaged by music education. Music lessons will engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and develop their talent as musicians and in turn increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination.

Implementation

The national curriculum for music aims 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

Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to understand rhythm and follow a beat. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music. Children develop descriptive language skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent different feelings, emotions and narratives. In KS2 we teach the children the recorder and the ukulele. We also teach technical vocabulary such as volume, pitch, beat and rhythm and encourage children to discuss music using these terms.

The Charanga scheme of work is used from Year 1 - 6 to ensure a wide exposure to different genres of music, with lots of practical opportunities to explore and develop as musicians and singers. Opportunities are taken to perform in class, in Celebration Worship and also to parents and the wider community. Additional opportunities are offered in music, such as the choir which performs in school, and at events in the local community. We also have piano and guitar lessons delivered by external providers.

Impact

Through the child’s journey at JWS, their musical skills and understanding are built on year on year, from singing simple songs from memory and performing simple rhythm patterns in KS1, to more advanced techniques, skills, and understanding in lower KS2. Further development in upper KS2 where the children are able to play an instrument confidently, and have the ability to read and follow a simple musical score. Throughout all of this the child’s enjoyment of music is a key element, running alongside the ‘taught’ musical skills and objectives.