Music Intent Statement

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ― Confucius

Why do we teach music?

At Didsbury CE, music is a highly valued, integral part of our school life. We encourage a value of music because it is one of the most powerful and unique forms of communication that can change and impact the way that children feel, think and act. We believe that teaching music helps the body and the mind work together. In addition, we recognise the abilty of music to help children stay healthy mentally. Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self expression and keep fit. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to  develop their musical potential and we aim to nuture musical  development across the school.

 

A curriculum for life for all.

We have an ambitious music curriuculm at Didsbury CE which plays a vital role in preparing every child with the knowldege, skills and understanding needed to engage with an apprecation of listening to, enjoying and performing music for life beyond the primary years. The curriculum content and design improves children knowledge of key musical vocabulary and terms. Children are given the opportunity to join the school choir in KS2 and to learn to play a tuned/non-tuned percussion instrument from the music trolley or have individual lessons with our visiting peripatetic teachers. Children in year 4 will have access to  whole class instrumental teaching for 1 and a half terms in the form of whole class recorder lessons taught by the class teacher. They will begin to be taught to read notation for the first time. Children are able to have individual music lessons in school with visiting peripetic specialist music teachers. There are no financial barriers for pupils on pupil premuim to access to these lessons.

 

Curriculum end points

The music curriculum is designed with clear key skills for the end of each year and ultimately each key stage. The music curriculum that is taught in each year group is designed to build to those end points.  There is a list of key skills and knowledge that are designed for each year group to achieve by the end of that year which are detailed in the Didsbury CE music skills and knowledge curriculum.  

 

Curriculum planning and sequencing

Music is planned in line with the statements laid out in the national curriculum and with cross-curricular links where possible.

Children in EYFS are taught music through Expressive arts and Design. Children have a weekly taught music lesson and learn to sing a bank of songs/chants often linked to the half termly topic.  They use body percussion and untuned percussion instruments to explore pulse and rhythm leading to improvisation and composition. In addition, children listen to a wide variety of diverse music and appraise it using musical vocabulary.

Children in years 1 to 6 are taught music using Charanga, a spiral curriculum. designed specifically for the teaching of music in primary schools, Charanga lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding. Charanga provides many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enable understanding of the context and genre. 

 

The aims of our music curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Enjoy and have an appreciation for music
• Listen to, review and evalute music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles, and traditions.
• Listen to and evlaute the work of a variety of diverse composers including the greta composers
• Can sing and use their voices to create different effects
• Create and compse music both on their own and with others
• Use a range of muisical language
• Make judgements and express personal prefrences about the quialty and style of muisc.
• Have opportunites to plau a wide variety of instruments b both tuned and untunrd.
• Use technology if approprite.
• Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.

 

Reflecting the local context

At Didsbury CE, our ethos is Belonging, Believing, Becoming: where children feel a sense of Belonging to the school and community of Didsbury. We recognise that music plays an important part in helping children feel part of a commununity and so we provide opportunitues for children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through collective worship concerts, class assemblies and key stage perfirmances children showcase their understanding of how to perform with an awareness of an audience.

Opportunities are sought to expose children to music performed by professional orchestras such as the Halle by visiting the Bridgewater Hall to participate in educational programmes and see the orchestra in action. In addition, children also participate in events and activities run by Manchester Music Hub such as Sing Up.

 

A broad and balanced curriculum

We aim for the music curriculum to give all children fun, practical and inspiring experiences so that they can enjoy all aspects of music. They will develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose and listen with discrimination to a range of musical genres and artists.  We believe music is an important part of our wider curriculum that gives children opportunities to express themselves in a less academic way than, for example, the basic skills of reading, writing and maths.

Children in Foundation Stage have discrete music lessons that last for 15/20 minutes weekly. Children in KS1 have discrete music lessons that last for 30 minutes and in KS2 this extends to 40 minutes.

 

High Academic ambition

Throughout the music curriculum at Didsbury CE, children are encouraged to be the best they can be, achieving high academic standards, pushing themselves to deepen their knowledge and skill set. We passionately believe that all children regardless of background can reach high standards. Inclusion is paramount at Didsbury CE; children with SEN are supported in various ways to suit their needs in order for every child to receive their full curriculum entitlement. This varies from child to child, often by support and the adaptation of resources. We ensure every child is challenged to fulfil their potential.