Music Curriculum

‘Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity.’ (The National Curriculum)

At St Mary’s, our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to collaborate.   We aim to foster a life-long love of music by exposing them to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music. By listening and responding to different musical styles, finding their voices as singers and performers we hope to enable them to become confident, reflective musicians.   Through exploration and learning about ourselves, we want to give children the opportunity to become composers who can use musical expression as a way to express themselves and connect with others.

At St Mary’s, Music planning is devised by the Music leader in professional consultation with teaching staff and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT); it meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, which is organised in our school ‘National Curriculum Ladders’.   The teaching of Music is centred around encouraging children to develop an appreciation for and an enjoyment of music.  It is planned to progressively build skills and knowledge so that children can use music to express themselves.

Music is taught mainly during our Express Projects (Summer Term).  Other opportunities for developing Music skills and knowledge and to support children’s long term memory development are planned into the Discover and Explore projects (Autumn and Spring Term, depending on year group).  Music appreciation is also taught in class worship sessions where music representing school values is described, analysed and evaluated by pupils.  The focus of our Music studies enables pupils to engage with their Project Question and Project Values.  For example, Year 1 ask: ‘How can we manage our feelings?’ and study the values of: ‘Choice, Consequences, Forgiveness and Honesty’. They explore and define their emotions and use music to express this.  They create soundscapes that tell stories as well as developing their singing and rhythmical skills and knowledge.

Lessons at St Mary’s are planned and organised with progression and challenge as the key drivers.  Medium term plans are developed by Senior Leaders and the Subject Leader to ensure that curriculum coverage, high expectations and cross-curricular contexts are studied in music.   During music lessons, children have the opportunity to work independently, with a partner and in mixed ability groups to enable everyone to engage with our music curriculum.