Music

At Sedbergh Primary School, we want children to gain a firm understanding of what music is, through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions and musical genres.  We are committed to developing a curiosity about and a love for music.  We want our children to have no limits as to their ambition in this subject, and to grow up wanting to be music producers, songwriters or even rock stars!  Our vision is to give children access to an engaging and fun music curriculum reflecting the world they live in now, but at the same time, giving them access to musical styles throughout history. Children will be able to listen and appraise, alongside performing pieces and creating their own compositions through the use of instruments and technology.  To achieve this, all children will have the opportunity to access a variety of musical games, songs, instruments, music workshops and extra-curricular activities, giving them hands-on experience.  They will be able to access opportunities locally wherever possible.  Regardless of ability, we want our children to develop a positive attitude to, satisfaction in and successful experiences of music.

Singing:  A singing culture will be established and nurtured with in the school.  Children and adults will be encouraged to sing whenever appropriate to aid well-being and health as well as for musical outcomes.

Instrumental:  Children will be taught to sing and use their voices expressively.  They will have the opportunity to play both tuned and un-tuned instruments with increasing control and should rehearse and perform with others, with an awareness of audience.

Composing:  Children will create musical patterns and will be shown how to explore, select and organise musical ideas, recording these in a variety of ways.

Appraising:  Children will be given the opportunity to explore and explain their own ideas and feelings about music.

• Each child will have a music lesson every week at Sedbergh Primary. In KS1, music is delivered through the award-winning Charanga scheme, which is devised particularly for use in primary schools. The scheme allows teachers to produce inclusive lessons for all children to access music in a fun and engaging way, further promoting a love of learning.  Charanga lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding.  In the KS1 classroom, children learn how to play a variety of percussion instruments – glockenspiel in Years 2 and 3 and recorder in Year 4 onwards. This enables children to use a range of methods to create notes and compose, as well as how to read basic music notation.
• In KS2, Charanga is also used to enrich the music curriculum, whilst the main lessons are taken from the well-respected Music Express Scheme.
• There is a classroom in school dedicated to the learning of music. Lessons also take place in year group classrooms.
• Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups, therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. Teachers will make professional judgements about when to adapt, miss out or add additional materials where they feel this would benefit learning.
• Lessons provide opportunities for children to develop practical skills and progress by listening and appraising, singing, playing, composing and performing. Use of body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.
• Enjoyment and interest of music is fostered through regular singing practice, musical workshops and other extra-curricular opportunities.
• Pupils with additional needs will be given support as necessary.
• From Year 3, pupils will be offered small group music lessons from Cumbria Music Service over a range of instruments. Instrumental groups will be encouraged to perform in assemblies as and when they are ready to be heard.
• Performance take place with various school activities and celebrations. Children have the opportunity to sing as a class, in smaller groups, with the whole school and as part of our community.
• School provides and maintains a large resource and a wide range of musical instruments, including sets of glockenspiels and djembe drums.
• Children are encouraged to experience learning beyond the classroom, by attending performances which include professional musicians and participating in school productions as well as church performances.

The impact of the music curriculum will lead to sound progress over time across key stages.  The music curriculum will foster a love for and enthusiasm for the subject and a potential for lifelong study.

We review the impact and progression of our curriculum through the following methods:

• A celebration of achievements through assemblies, performances, plays
• Reviewing curriculum coverage and adjusting accordingly
• Pupil discussions and evaluations about their progression and learning
• Evidence of work through photos, videos, performances.

The subject leader, the creativity team leaders and senior management team are responsible for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum progress. This is completed through work scrutiny, planning scrutiny, lesson observations, pupil interviews, staff discussions and audit of resources.