About this curriculum
We have developed an ambitious approach to music teaching across all year groups; this includes a whole-class instrumental programme of learning, where every class has the opportunity to learn to play an instrument together for six weeks. Many of these opportunities are taught by class teachers to demonstrate a whole-school ethos towards musical development and instrumental learning.
Small group and individual instrumental tuition is also available at our school. These sessions are taught by experienced tutors provided to us by Plymouth Music Education Hub (keyboard and trumpet tuition) and Instrumental Music Services (guitar tuition).
We are committed to developing children’s life-long love of music and providing them with high-quality musical experiences.
Intent
Our pupils should be able to 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. They should be able to 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. Our children should be able to understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the interrelated dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Implementation
As part of our cross-curricular approach to learning, children develop their musical skills through topic-related units of work; they will have opportunities to create, compose and perform independently and collaboratively. A yearly plan for music across the school has been created to show the music projects that have been developed for each year group’s topics. The interrelated dimensions of music are introduced in Key Stage 1 and expanded on each year; the regular review of musical language provides opportunities for consolidation and progression.
Impact
All children will leave our school having had the opportunity to be musical composers, performers and listeners throughout their school journey. They will have had the opportunity to be creative, work and perform together and learn about the composers that influenced musical history. They will have participated in a range of high-quality musical experiences, including learning to play a variety of instruments. Importantly, children will have started to develop their love of music.
