Intent
At Monks Abbey Primary School, we believe that every child should be able to foster a love of music and to be inspired by our curriculum. It is our responsibility to ensure children are successful with their learning and have access to a range of musical instruments, composers, and compositions. Music helps to build creativity and gives children a sense of community, while also being challenging and engaging. Therefore, we aim to deliver a curriculum that allows pupils to gain a coherent knowledge of a variety of musical skills and techniques, as well as understanding the history and traditions of music. Monks Abbey will use a variety of resources, such as the Lincolnshire Music Service, Sing Up, Out of the Ark and tailor-made lessons which fit each learning objective, to ensure we are providing a creative curriculum based on clear progression across all year groups.
The music curriculum should give children the opportunity to develop their listening skills, their creativity, and their ability to question and evaluate.
All children should be able to sing confidently as a group and they should be given the opportunity to sing in a variety of styles.
Children should understand how music links with other aspects of the curriculum, especially other Arts based subjects. Children should see music as a fundamental part of their learning.
All children should be able to use and understand different musical vocabulary (e.g., pitch, volume, tempo, dynamics, rhythm) and apply them in different contexts.
Children should be exposed to a range of musical styles, genres, cultures, historical periods and traditions from around the world. Children should be encouraged to express the diversity of music and they should be given the opportunity to celebrate music from where they come from.
Children should be given access to a range of composers. They should be able to listen to and appreciate a range of music.
Pupils should be taught music using a variety of resources, including Garage Band, Sing Up, Charanga, body percussion, using their voice and playing tuned and untuned instruments.
Music should be used as an opportunity for children to express their feelings and emotions. Children should understand the power of music and learn to appreciate it in their daily lives.
Music can be used to calm and relax children. It can be used to motivate and uplift. It can also be used to inspire and tell stories. Singing especially, can be used to support children’s ability to read. Music can be used to support children’s mental health.
Implementation
Music at Monks Abbey Primary School follows a two-year rolling cycle and is linked to the topic that each year group is covering. All objectives are closely linked to the National Curriculum.
Pupils are taught three music lessons for each topic, which is on a rolling two-year cycle.
Teaching is progressive and builds on prior learning and the knowledge and skills gained during previous years.
One year group at a time is taught an additional lesson of music through the Lincolnshire Music Service; most recently, djembe drums.
There should be access to both rhythmic and melodic instruments in Key Stage 1 and 2. This may be as part of the whole-class instrumental programme and/or in other classroom teaching.
Children participate in a rotation of singing assemblies every Wednesday. (EYFS and KS1, KS”, whole school).
Impact
We aim to provide children with a well-rounded music education. Our intention is to show clear progression across all year groups, and we hope to create a love of music in the process.
Through our music curriculum, children will achieve the “three pillars that interrelate in musicianship”, outlined in Oftsed’s Research review series: music (12 July 2021).
As such, pupils will:
have a technical understanding of music by playing a variety of tuned and untuned instruments, as well as regular singing practise;
have knowledge of various music components and the interrelated dimension of music by listening and appraising;
have opportunity to be creative and expressive by composing their own music and perform their compositions to others.