At Stewart Headlam and Hague Schools Federation, our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.   We hope to foster a continuous love of music by exposing children 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)

 

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

 

• Can sing and use their voices individually and in a group

• Create and compose music on their own and with others

• Use technology appropriately when composing

• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument

• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated

• Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a 

range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions

• Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Rock etc.

• Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their own work

• Make judgements about the quality of music

• Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments

• Have different opportunities to take part in performances

 

Implementation

 

The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom activities as well as weekly singing assemblies and various concerts and performances including class assemblies, the nativity and year 6 end of year performances. During whole school or phase assemblies, music is carefully chosen to represent different styles and composers to ensure children are introduced to a variety of music genres and styles.

 

At SHH we use Music Express as our scheme of work for music. This allows us to teach musical elements 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.

 

As part of the scheme, children also learn how to compose focussing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion, vocal sounds and technology is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.

 

Impact

 

Whilst in school, children have opportunities to forge their own musical journey, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. 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. As Oracy is a key part of our curriculum, we believe that singing supports children in finding their voice, in projecting and building confidence and resilience. 

 

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.

 

To find out more, please visit our progression of music document here.