Curriculum Intent
At Allendale Primary School we want our children to enjoy music and think of themselves as musicians who can develop their interests and see music as a future career or hobby. We want our children to learn to appreciate listening, composing and performing a range of musical genres which reflect the history of music but is relevant to the modern day. Children will access a range of vocal and instrumental activities which allow them to explore and deepen their knowledge and skills. As an Artsmark school , we want our children to value music and be able to reflect upon their learning. Our aims are:
- To enable our pupils to enjoy and appreciate a range of musical styles and be able to express their opinions and feelings.
- To encourage an awareness and enjoyment of music in all its forms.
- To develop imagination, creativity and resilience so that all experience success and enjoyment.
- To offer all children the opportunities to sing, play instruments, compose, listen and appraise throughout school.
Implementation:
At Allendale Primary School we use Charanga as our main source of activities, ideas and resources, although this is not rigidly adhered to. All children participate in a weekly music lesson which will build upon prior skills and allow pupils the opportunities to explore music. We will use a range of untuned and tuned instruments, singing, listening and musical workshops to allow children to develop their enjoyment, confidence, skills and knowledge.
We also use Music Partnership North to deliver whole class ensemble lessons where staff can develop their own skills, using the expert tuition as CPD.
Any children who find music difficult in terms of either self confidence or skills will be supported either by TAs, the class teacher or their peers and given alternative tasks so that they fully participate in all lessons.
The Headteacher leads singing in assembly and singing and instrument playing feature heavily in school performances. Music is used in classrooms to create a calm environment, further enhancing the importance of music in our world.
We have a range of singing resources and instruments as well as full school access to Charanga. Untuned musical instruments are stored on a music trolley which can be wheeled to downstairs classrooms or used in the hall. We have sets of Ukeleles, glockenspiels, keyboards and steel pans for tuned instrument use in classes.
EYFS also have access to Charanga and are taught to sing songs and rhymes, listen to and make music and move / dance to music. They have opportunities to make sounds and experiment with changing sounds. they are encouraged to use everyday objects inside and outside the classroom.
Impact
The impact of the music curriculum can be seen in the development of children's self confidence and performance skills. Our music curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and build on and embed skills. As well as developing these skills, the teaching of musical and expressive vocabulary is important. We monitor achievement in the music curriculum by:
- Pupil voice and feedback
- Governor monitoring with co-ordinator
- Tracking skills against pupil achievement
- Photo and video evidence of pupil learning, participation and performance
- Use of assessment tools within Charanga.