Music
Intent
At Rawdon St Peter’s Primary School, it is our intent that we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences, through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children.
The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
perform, listen to, review and evaluate a wide range of music,
- learn to sing, create and compose music independently and collaboratively and have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, and
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.
Our Music curriculum is designed to progressively develop children’s skills and understanding of what music is. This is achieved through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions and musical genres. Pupils will use their voices expressively and will also be taught to play a variety of instruments, which they are encouraged to play solo and together in ensemble groups. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.
Implementation
Music lessons are generally cross curricular and develop deep, transferable skills, supporting learning and understanding in a range of other subjects, including literacy and numeracy. This is embedded in the classroom activities, our frequent Hymns/singing Collective Worships, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments and the joining of one of our musical ensembles.
We encourage children to focus on the work of great musicians across a variety of genres and periods of history for inspiration and exploration, and to build up a repertoire of techniques and approaches that they can apply in their own compositions, including how to read and record basic musical notation. In Year 3 children are taught to play the recorder; these lessons incorporate teaching musical notation and singing, as well as learning to play the instrument.
We also have a varied programme of extra-curricular activities to develop children’s passion and skills in music. This is apparent in consistent attendance at clubs, peripatetic music lessons and pupil voice.
Impact
Whilst in school, children have access to a varied musical programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. They have the opportunities to develop their skills and understanding and perform to a variety of audiences within the school and local community. As such, pupils can build their self-confidence, sense of belonging, creativity and musical achievement. Pupils leave Rawdon St Peter’s with a sound understanding of music, which many pupils go on to study further.