Music Skills Progression

Music Curriculum Aims & Rationale

Intent
The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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.
• 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
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

At Sacred Heart RC School the intention is that children develop their personal creativity, understanding and enjoyment of music through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles and musical genres. Our objective is to foster a life-long love of music as well as an understanding of the validity and importance of all types of music. We are committed to ensuring children have the opportunity to express their own musical talents and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts, developing their personal creativity and self-confidence. Underpinning all elements of our school curriculum, is our Romero Child Charter, which aims to develop every child as a whole person. The opportunities given to children through our music lessons and wider curriculum offer, form an important part of what the charter aims to do – give all pupils the opportunity to thrive and shine.

Implementation
Our music curriculum is centred around the ‘Charanga’ music scheme. The music scheme covers all National Curriculum requirements and ensures students sing, listen, play, perform, compose and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom music lessons as well as twice weekly assemblies, weekly singing practises, various concerts and performances and the wider curriculum offer. The elements of music are taught in lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to discuss it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom, students learn how to play a variety of tuned and untuned instruments and in Key Stage 2 receive high quality recorder and Ukulele lessons from an outside agency. In doing so, they develop their understanding of creating notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focussing on the different dimensions of music, which in turn underpins their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. The Charanga scheme also includes composing and performing using body percussion, vocal sounds and technology such as ‘Garage Band’, which further develops the understanding of musical elements. Our wider curriculum offer, allows students to develop personal interests in guitar, drums, Ukulele and piano, and access to concerts and performances at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, London Opera House and Belgrade Theatre, developing pupils cultural capital.

Impact
Whilst in school, children have access to a varied music curriculum, which allows students to discover areas of personal talent, enjoyment and self-expression. Through music lessons and our wider curriculum offer children develop a sense of achievement and self-confidence. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history through exposure to a wide range of musical styles, genres and composers.  Children are able to enjoy music as a listener, creator and performer. They can analyse music and discuss their own understanding using appropriate musical vocabulary. They can sing and feel a pulse. Children will be inspired to pursue their own musical talents and interests as they enter the next Key Stage.