Music

Intent

At Barnes Primary School, we provide an ambitious curriculum that will enable children to gain a firm understanding of music. We aim to inspire, encourage and develop an understanding and love of music through a variety of high quality, sequenced learning opportunities within a safe and creative environment where children can experience, explore and develop as young musicians.

The National Curriculum forms the strong scaffold of the ambitious music curriculum upon which is structured the inter-related dimensions of music (golden threads) through the main building blocks of:

• singing
• performing and playing
• creating (improvising and composing)
• listening and understanding

Music is taught throughout the school from Reception to Year 6 by our specialist music teacher, Karen Warner. All classes in the main part of the school receive a weekly, fifty-minute lesson with our specialist music teacher in the dedicated music room.

Musical knowledge, understanding and concepts are taught in an accessible way to gradually build upon experience and move learning forward to the next stage. This is achieved through pre learning, stepped tasks, repetition, familiarity of routine, clear feedback, review and reflection by peers and teachers. These are integrated within the class music lessons and wider school community, with children taking ownership of their learning and playing a major role in inspiring others with their music. Children are well prepared and confident musicians going into KS3 where they will build upon their knowledge, skills and experience to become increasingly more independent musicians.

Implementation

Music is taught weekly throughout the school from Reception to Year 6 by our specialist music teacher, Karen Warner in the dedicated music room.

The curriculum is carefully structured to ensure:

• Clear progression of singing, performing, creating, listening and understanding.
• Skills and knowledge are constantly revisited and built upon over time.
• Pupils move from directed whole class learning activities, to smaller groups, more independent tasks, gradually taking ownership of their musical learning.

Teaching is underpinned by:

• Planning is organised to sequence learning in small attainable steps with frequent revisiting and practise.  
• Key Stage 1 lessons focus on building their musical skills and understanding of singing, performing, creating and listening.
• Key Stage 2, children continue to develop these skills year on year,  with some units linked to Learning Themes and cross curricular performances and events.
• Discrete and direct learning of the interrelated dimensions of music are carefully threaded through the curriculum.
• Practical lessons have a structured routine, with clear expectations of how to develop as a young musician.
• Teacher modelling is key to demonstrate musical techniques, for example dining a phrase, clapping a rhythm.
• Direct teaching of vocabulary is supported by display and children are encouraged to talk about music using musical vocabulary.
• Review and reflection are supported by the use of knowledge maps, review icon, video, teacher and peer review.
• Pre learning is woven throughout a unit of work, across a year and key stage. This forward-looking approach motivates pupils and frames the learning journey with purpose and reward.
• Children are exposed to a diverse range of listening material helping them understand the contributions of different individuals and see music as a subject that is relevant, inclusive and reflective of the wider world.

Assessment is:

• Formative and purposeful, using questioning, observation, peer feedback, review and reflection.
• Immediate and timely verbal feedback.
• Dedicated practice time given for pupils to repeat, develop and refine musical skills and ideas.
• End of unit review identify features to move learning forward in the next unit.  
• Designed to identify misconceptions and inform teaching, reframing pupil responses to allow valued contribution to whole-class learning and develop understanding of skills and concepts.

Teachers are supported through:

• Clear curriculum planning and progression documents.
• Curriculum maps, Subject Progression Map and Knowledge Maps.
• Ongoing CPD, Music Education Bodies and subject-specific guidance.

Enrichment opportunities enhance learning and include:

Musical learning and experience are integrated within class music lessons and the wider school community, with children taking ownership of their learning and playing a major role in inspiring others with their music. Children have the opportunity to take part in a variety of extra-curricular music activities.

Music Tuition

• Music tuition takes place during the school day.
• Peripatetic music tutors provide a wide range of musical tuition with a specialist music tutor on a variety of instruments and voice.
• Music tutors are considered part of the school and contribute to the wider school community supporting and participating in school events and performances.
• Barnes Music Provision provides subsidised music tuition.

Music Clubs

• KS1: Little Singers, Musical Theatre Club
• KS2: Barnes Voices, BOP!, m:tech

Performance Opportunities

• Autumn term: Harvest Festival (Y5 lead), YR Christmas Assembly,             Carol Concerts (Y3 lead), Community Carols, White Hart Lane Christmas Event
• Spring term: Arts Week, Music Performance Week, Singing Festival, KS1 Spring Concert, Y4 Play
• Summer term: LKS2 Summer Concert, UKS2 Summer Concert, Y1 Assembly, Y2 Production, Y6 Production, Y6 Leaver’s Assembly

Assembly performances, visiting musicians and music workshops.

Impact

• Pupils can recall and demonstrate musical skills and concepts over time, from current and previous learning.
• Pupils sing, play, perform and compose the increasing control, accuracy and expression over time.
• Pupils confidently use accurate musical vocabulary to describe what they hear, perform and create.
• Pupils use music room display to support their engagement in learning.
• Pupils develop a work ethic of practice, reflection and reward, working together as a team.
• Participation in extra-curricular music uptake is high with music tuition, music clubs, performances and is a valued part of the school culture.
• Pupils to develop their self-confidence, social skills, team work and the ability to perform to an audience.