Music

Music at The Abbey Primary

Intent

At Shaftesbury Abbey Primary school our music curriculum inspires creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them the opportunities to connect with others. We hope to foster a lifelong love of music by exposing them 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 most highest forms of creativity’ (The National Curriculum)

Skills

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

We offer the scheme, ‘Charanga’ which follows the music curriculum ensuring students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate various genres of music. Students have up to an hour of music per week taught by teachers and teaching assistants covering PPA. All of the Abbey pupils partake in classroom activities as well as weekly singing assemblies and have the opportunity to have a go at a new instrument through professional undertaken music workshops once a year.  The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so children are able to use the language of music to discuss it and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. Students also learn how to play various untuned and tuned instruments and during the summer term in Year 4 they learn how to play a tuned instrument for 10 weeks through a musicianship programme led by the Dorset Music Service. In doing so they understand the different principles of creating notes as well as how to devise and read their own musical scores and basic notation. Composing, listening and performing using percussion, vocal sounds and computer technology is also part of the curriculum which Shaftesbury Abbey includes in lessons. We have a KS1 and KS2 choir who practice weekly and have the opportunity to perform in local events, festivals and Christmas carol singing in the community including residential/care homes. They also perform and sing alongside other local schools at various events throughout the year, organised by SASMA and supported by the Dorset Singing Strategy. We also sing in the local church during Open the book assemblies and Christian festivals including Harvest, Christmas and Easter.

Impact

Whilst in school children have the opportunity to forge their own musical journey, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to develop further. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose which will promote their wellbeing, self-esteem and help them to understand their emotions. 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.

Music Curriculum Map: KS1 & 2