Music

Our vision for music education is to foster a lifelong love and appreciation for music in every child. We believe that music is not only an art form but also a powerful tool for personal growth and community building. We also believe that high-quality Music Education will engage and inspire our pupils to develop their love of music and their talent as musicians. This experience and achievement will then increase their self-confidence and creativity. All individuals will have opportunities to develop these skills in a wide range of teaching and learning activities. Our intent in music is for children.

To perform, listen to and review a wide range of music.
To learn to sing and use their voices.
To have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.
To be introduced to the possibilities created by Music Technology.
To develop an understanding of the terminology used within all music, which are referred to as the Inter-related dimensions of music: pitch, timbre, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure and musical notation.

Essential characteristics of musicians

A rapidly widening repertoire which they use to create original, imaginative, fluent and distinctive composing and performance work.
A musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise.
Very good awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres.
An excellent understanding of how musical provenance - the historical, social and cultural origins of music - contributes to the diversity of musical styles.
The ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately.
A passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities.

Music Curriculum Overview 2023-2024

Music Roadmap

Music in the Early Years Foundation Stage

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, music forms part of the learning children acquire under the ‘Expressive Arts and Design' branch of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

Music features quite a lot in lessons for children during Nursery and Reception years. There are plenty of opportunities to sing, explore sounds and dance and play to music. It’s often used as a method for learning about other things, such as science, numbers and words, too.

Children will learn how sounds can be changed; sing simple songs from memory; recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns; and match movement to music. Children also have the opportunity to compose using a variety of musical instruments.

The document below outlines in more detail the specific Music objectives within the Early Years curriculum, what it looks like in practice, and demonstrates the links between the Early Years and the Music curriculum.

Music in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Music in Key Stage 1 and 2

The Music National Curriculum in Key Stage 1 and 2

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 2

Pupils should be taught to:

use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes
play tuned and untuned instruments musically
listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music
experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music

Pupils should be taught to sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. They should develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory.

Pupils should be taught to:

play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music
listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
use and understand staff and other musical notations
appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
develop an understanding of the history of music

Music at Mowlem is taught by a music specialist in half termly blocks throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each blocked topic and these are mapped across the school, ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. Existing knowledge is checked at the beginning of each unit and throughout the course of the learning in each black. This ensures that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points as well as determine the content knowledge for subsequent lessons.

Children will participate in a range of classroom activities, which develop the skills they use across all Key Stages.
Children will develop confidence in performing using their voices or a musical instrument.
Children will be given opportunities to access a wide range of musical genres; they will be confident about talking and evaluating this music, recognising that different music appeals to different people.
Children will be given the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.
Children will develop confidence as musicians.

Learning Journeys

Learning Journeys detail the overall outcomes for each unit.
Learning Journeys detail the small steps that children will take to achieve the overall outcomes for each unit.
They show how the unit builds on prior learning
They show what children will learn in the future linked to what they are learning now.
Learning Journeys are available on the school website – on the year group page or on the subject page
They include key vocabulary for the unit
They include details of the key content to be covered

If you would like printed copies of any journeys please let us know.