Intent

Our Music curriculum is developed from the National Curriculum for Music at Key Stages One and Two.  We follow the Charanga Scheme of Work which provides a progressive scheme of work for all year groups.  All planning and teaching resources are included in the scheme and there is one unit of work per half term. 

Implementation

• Music is taught weekly using the Charanga lessons. 
• A visiting teacher provides music tuition for a whole class.  This is usually Year 5 who learn to play an instrument (trumpets). 
• Music lessons have a variety of activities covering a number of musical elements:  Listening and Appraising, Musical Activities, Performing and Sharing.
• A range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments are used in lessons. 
• There is an emphasis on learning and using appropriate musical vocabulary. 
• Children are introduced to basic notation and this is developed throughout the scheme. 
• Singing is an important part of our music curriculum and children are encouraged to join in and learn songs from memory. 
• The music scheme has been developed with a non-specialist in mind.  However, some teachers may have more musical knowledge and feel more confident to teach ‘freestyle’ units of work, for example teaching the recorder. 

Impact

We recognise that Music is a complex subject made up of multiple skills.  Therefore, it is difficult to assess children’s overall progress in music as a grade, level, or number. The charanga scheme is sequenced logically for the progressive development of musical skills – skills that are revisited and mastered over time.

As students work through it they sing, play tuned and untuned instruments, listen to recorded and live music, and compose and improvise using the interrelated dimensions of music. They learn about music history, exploring a range of musical styles and traditions, while using and understanding staff and other notations.

The assessment documents we use combine to help teachers articulate and evidence where they and their students are on that journey. 

We believe that the Charanga scheme allows children to develop a love of music while increasing their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.  Pupils will experience a wide range of musical genres and are encouraged to express their own preferences.  They will understand that their voice can be used to compose or perform music with others and will also have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument.  We want children to continually develop their understanding of the interrelated dimensions of music and become increasingly confident when using the vocabulary associated with these elements.