Kirkbymoorside Primary School

School Curriculum - Music

Intent

At Kirkbymoorside Community Primary, we are committed to ensuring the effective delivery of a music curriculum that is accessible to all our children. We believe that musical experiences should be positive, engaging and uplifting for all - staff, learners, performers and audience members alike. We aim to engage, motivate, and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and to grow their talents as musicians. Learning music builds individual confidence, self-esteem, creativity and a strong sense of personal achievement, while simultaneously developing the children's subject specific understanding of pitch, rhythm, instrumentation, musical structure, history and technical vocabulary. We aspire for our children to have increased confidence which ultimately leads to greater enjoyment in performance and to making connections with peers, the school and wider community.

Music is a practical, creative subject, which should enhance the lives and learning of all children. Music is a unique way of communicating that can inspire and motivate children. It gives an opportunity for personal expression and it can play an important part in the personal development of an individual. Music reflects our culture and society and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world they live in. Critically listening to music from different cultures and eras, and music for purpose & celebration, enables children to better understand the world we live in and their place in it

By engaging children in musical experiences we can offer our children opportunities to develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other areas as well as developing life skills such as listening skills, the ability to concentrate, creativity, self-confidence and a sensitivity towards others.

Implementation

Music lessons are delivered by a specialist music teacher and provide a comprehensive developmental music program in keeping with the expectations of the UK National Music Curriculum and key concepts. These include vocal, rhythmic, and instrumental development, music history, structures and styles, music elements, improvisation and composition.

Instrumental tuition in untuned and tuned percussion are a foundational part of classroom music lessons. In addition, specific instrumental tuition is provided in recorder – Years 3 &4; P-buzz, P-cornet & P-bone – Year 5; and ukulele – Year 6. Further recorder & brass tuition is available in lunchtime & after school sessions. Extra vocal opportunities are offered through an after-school Sing Club for Reception/Year 1 & another for Years 2-6.

Peripatetic staff provide additional lessons in violin, saxophone, guitar & brass.

Further links and experiences are delivered by classroom staff through areas of learning such as times tables in maths, vocabulary in languages and movement in dance.

A weekly singing assembly exposes the children to a diverse range of musical styles and an opportunity to continue to develop their singing skills – including partwork, and sense of community.

Performance opportunities include Harvest services, Remembrance services, Christmas plays, Nativities, Sing Up Days, Young Voices arena concerts, and opportunities to celebrate national & world events such as Jubilees, Coronations, and sporting events.

Children use their musical talents to contribute to and enrich the local community, with many children then participating in the community brass band; raising money for various charities; and performing and sharing with the senior members of the local community.