Subject Leader - Mrs E Sharps

Intent

At River Primary School, we value music because it is a powerful and unique form of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think and act. We believe that teaching music helps the body and the mind work together and can help children excel in other areas of their learning.   It is also a vehicle for personal expression, and it can play an important part in personal development. Music reflects the culture and society we live in, and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world which they live in. Besides being a creative and enjoyable subject, music is also a highly academic and demanding subject. It also plays an important part in helping children to feel part of a community, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through assemblies and year group or class performances, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. We endeavour to broaden their horizons and build their cultural capital through a curriculum which introduces pupils to music from a range of musical genres, historical periods, cultures, composers and musicians. Through our curriculum and extra-curricular activities, we aim to give pupils the foundations for a lifelong participation in and enjoyment of music.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced throughout EYFS and Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 to equip pupils with the skills and knowledge necessary for them to fully access the Key Stage 3 music curriculum. Children will hone practical skills in using their voices as well as instruments and technology to create and perform music. We will build the children’s knowledge and skills in music to enable them to take part in performances and appreciate different aspects of the music they hear as they get older. We will encourage them to form opinions about their tastes in music, alongside an awareness of different styles and traditions from different times and places.

Teaching musical terminology is an important element of our music curriculum. As the children progress through the curriculum they will develop an extended music vocabulary which they will then be challenged to use to discuss their own performances and compositions, as well as live and recorded music.