Music

Music at The Whartons
 
Primary School
Purpose of study
'Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high- quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.'
 
National Curriculum 2014

OUR INTENTION 

 

At The Wharton's Primary School, our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journey as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.   We hope 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 and as composers, all will enable them to become confident, reflective musicians. 

 

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

 

IMPLEMENTATION

 

The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom activities as well as singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments, and the joining of musical ensembles. The elements of music are taught using the music scheme/ website 'Charanga' in classroom lessons so that children are able to use 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 various un-tuned and tuned percussion instruments and as a class in years 2-6 on ocarina, recorder, ukulele and keyboard. 

IMPACT
 

At the Whartons Primary School, children have opportunities to forge their own musical journey and use their musical abilities in purposeful ways. 

Each year involves a number of exciting opportunities for the children to show off their skills, either through vocal performances, instrument performances or both.

We teach whole class instruments in year's 2, 3, 4 and 5 and all Key Stage 2 children also have the opportunity to play instruments in small groups which are taught by peripatetic staff. Reception class and Year 6 also both receive music lessons from outside school music specialist teachers. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose - either as listener, creator or performer. They can discuss music and comprehend its parts. They can sing, feel a pulse, add rhythms and create melodies in a group and they can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.

We use a range of strategies to assess what skills and knowledge the children have attained each term including the following:

  • Videos and photos of lessons and performances
  • Low stakes testing
  • Pupil Voice 
  • Regular feedback each lesson
Vocabulary
Curriculum overviews for each year group