Music

“Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children's education.”     Yo-Yo Ma

The national curriculum for music and our progression of skills within each milestone aims to ensure that all pupils are able:

• To confidently perform either singing or skilfully playing an instrument, either solo or as part of a group.

• To compose and create song with verses and chorus and create rhythmic patterns and an awareness of timbre and duration; digital technology may be used to compose, edit and refine pieces of music.

• To transcribe and use standard musical notation and read and create notes on the musical stave.

• To describe music, using a wide range of musical vocabulary to accurately describe and appraise.

​

Intent

Our intent at Laughton Junior and Infant School is to teach and perfect the skills implemented by the National Curriculum for Music. Our curriculum seeks to provide greater clarity and flexibility, allowing for the development and progression in learning. Our music scheme of work is Charanga and it complements the curriculum and scaffolds the learning opportunities throughout the Key Stages.  We are also supported by Rotherham Music Service who offer one half term dedicated teaching per year group as well as individual music tuition in a wide range of instruments.

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies.  Singing is further developed through weekly singing assemblies so that the children have the opportunity to learn two-part harmonies as well as a range of popular and traditional songs.

Every year, children in Years 2-6 are invited to take part in the Young Voices event in Sheffield as part of the Wider Opportunities programme. The children will have learned a wide variety of pieces to sing with the Young Voices Choir at the Sheffield Arena. After a rehearsal session with the orchestra, they will perform, along with 5000 other children, to parents, family and friends in the concert. An amazing experience for all involved! In addition, the children from Years 1-5 take part in the Rotherham One Voice event which is a smaller venue and a further opportunity for the children to perform.

​

The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom, students are taught music through the Charanga scheme. This online scheme is full of high quality musical resources to engage and intrigue learners.  In addition, each class receives half a term’s dedicated input from Rotherham Music service, which means that children are able to learn basic skills with a range of musical instruments: recorders, glockenspiels and ukuleles.

​

Following their dedicated half term’s input from Rotherham Music Service, each Year Group then has the opportunity to perform for the school and their parents in a Music Assembly.

Additional one-to one tuition is provided for children wishing to learn an instrument.  We currently offer tuition in guitar, flute, violin and trumpet (at a small cost to parents).

​

Impact

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows students to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon.  Children learn to work both independently and as part of a group, ensuring skills of resilience and teamwork are promoted in this subject. Children are enthused and engaged in the wide variety of music activities. Music also develops an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Opportunities to perform outside of school, within our local environment ensure our children understand its significance and place within the wider world and that these excite and inspire children’s thirst for knowledge and participation in this subject. Children are able to enjoy music either as listener, creator or performer.  They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they continue to develop an interest in their lives.