Music
“Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.” – Plato
Intent:
At Luttons Community Primary Academy, our music curriculum is driven by the principles of the Model Music Curriculum. We aim to engage, excite and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and nurture their talent as musicians. Through a range of musical experiences, Children at Luttons Community Primary Academy explore their creativity and are provided with opportunities to perform. This includes singing performances in both St Mary’s Church and in school at Easter, Harvest and Christmas as well as whole school nativity’s and musical showcases during our sharing assembly. Our intent is to provide a high-quality, sequential education that focuses on:
- Singing – developing vocal confidence and part-singing
- Listening – cultivating a critical ear for a diverse range of genres and traditions
- Composing – using knowledge of musical elements to create original works
- Performing – building the discipline and joy of live performance
Our curriculum also aims to develop transferable skills such as team-working, leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and presentation and performance skills. These skills are vital to children’s development as learners and have a wider application in their general lives outside and beyond school.
Implementation:
Following the MMC, we have structured our curriculum into a spiral of progression. Throughout the year, pupils are provided with opportunities to revisit core concepts and new knowledge and skills are built on prior learning. Children explore Music in Early Years as part of ‘Expressive arts and design’ through a variety of adult-led activities and lessons and by carefully planned experiences within areas of provision. We focus on traditional rhymes to improve our children’s oracy skills.
Pupils will learn to recognise, demonstrate and name the interrelated dimensions of music, for example pitch, tempo and dynamics, and use these expressively in their own improvisations and compositions. Children will develop additional musical skills including:
- singing
- playing instruments
- listening and responding to music, developing an understanding of the history and cultural context
- recording musical notations
Through the implementation of weekly singing assemblies and a carefully planned listening curriculum, our pupils are exposed to a wide variety of classical, jazz, folk and world music, fostering cultural capital.
Impact:
The impact of our music curriculum is measured by the growth in our pupils’ musicality and confidence. By the time pupils leave Luttons Community Primary Academy , the impact is evidenced by:
- Cultural literacy – pupils can discuss and analyse music from different historical periods and global cultures using technical vocabulary (e.g. dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture)
- Technical proficiency – every pupil has the opportunity to read basic notation and perform with accuracy, control and expression
- Personal growth – through performance, pupils develop skills of confidence, courage, perseverance and collaboration.
- Community cohesion – music acts as the heartbeat of our school, bringing us together through concerts and performances, shared celebrations and through our school song: ‘Look up, aim high, shine bright’
We monitor the impact of our curriculum through:
- Formative assessment – ongoing feedback during practical lessons.
- Performance recordings – class compositions, showcasing skills and performances, evidenced in digital floor books (photographs/videos).
- Key stage 1 and 2 music folders include an ongoing record of musical activities (including composing) recorded in them.
- Uptake of music provision in the number of children attending a variety of‘music clubs.
- Attendance of parents, and student engagement in Harvest, Christmas and Easter showcases at the church and sharing assemblies in school that include musical performance.
- Parental and Student feedback to classroom teaching staff and SLT to gauge their engagement and passion for the subject.
- Student involvement in wider musical initiatives such as the Royal Ballet and Opera’s interactive, online lessons.
