Intent

At Heskin Pemberton’s, we aspire to promote a love of music and provide opportunities for children to discover and develop their musical talents. We follow the specifications of the National Curriculum by providing a broad, balanced and diverse curriculum and ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills. Lessons enable children to develop their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres. We want our pupils to learn to appreciate the work of musicians and composers and understand how music reflects and contributes to the history, heritage and culture of our nation and beyond. At Heskin Pemberton’s we believe that music plays an integral role in helping children to develop self-confidence and improve wellbeing, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience.

As with all curriculum areas, we intend for Heskin Pemberton’s pupils to have a thirst for knowledge, a toolkit of skills which links all of the curriculum and an aspirational approach to the future, all of which are underpinned by our Gospel Values.

Implementation

We have chosen to follow the Charanga scheme of work because it offers a clear programme of study which meets our vision and enables pupils to meet the National Curriculum end of key stage attainment targets. This scheme is closely aligned with the DfE Model Music Curriculum: Key Stages 1 to 2 non-statutory guidance. It also adheres to the expectations from the national plan for music (June 2022) and takes note of the guidance from the Ofsted research review 2021 and the Music subject report of September 2023.

‘Expressive arts and design’ is a specific area of learning and development in the EYFS curriculum. The Heskin Pemberton’s Music Curriculum helps Reception children to work towards the Early Learning Goals, but also provides the foundations for future learning in Music. The Reception Music medium term plans and short term plans are taken from the Charanga EYFS scheme of work.

In the Early Years, music making is linked with several other areas of the curriculum, for example when children listen to music and express their feelings through paint or when they are listening to poetry and stories. Children have the opportunity to explore Music during Discovery Time, as well as through a weekly taught session.

In Key Stages 1 and 2, all classes cover six units of Music during the year. These units are outlined in the long term plan. These plans include the key vocabulary and linked musicians/composers that pupils will meet during each unit studied that year. Each Music unit is informed by a medium term plan which outlines the procedural and declarative knowledge the pupils will learn, the National Curriculum coverage, prior learning, intended outcomes and end points of learning including assessment criteria. Children will be taught how to sing fluently and expressively, and play tuned and untuned instruments accurately and with control. They will learn to recognise, demonstrate and name the interrelated dimensions of music – pitch, duration, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and dynamics – and use these expressively in their own improvisations and compositions. Peripatetic teachers come into school and teach individual instruments to those children who wish to learn them. A love of playing an instrument promoted and encouraged in their ability to do so as a form of expression.

The curriculum is designed in such a way that children are involved in ongoing dialogue and evaluation about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they want to make. Pupils evaluate their own learning in each Music unit through peer and self-assessment. Observations of pupil progress within each lesson are used to plan subsequent teaching. Summative assessments are made at the end of the year and reported to parents in the annual school report. It is the subject leader’s responsibility to monitor provision in Music and to analyse assessment data. The subject leader will use the information gleaned from monitoring activities to complete an action plan annually to inform the SLT of attainment, progression and future actions.

Spirituality is developed through music as our children engage in creative expression and emotional connection. Through musical exploration, children have the opportunity to tap into their inner selves, expressing feelings, aspirations and a sense of wonder. Whether through singing, playing instruments, or listening to diverse musical genres, our children develop a unique avenue for self-discovery and emotional intelligence. Music fosters a communal spirit as our children collaborate in ensembles or share their musical talents, instilling a sense of unity. Additionally, the intrinsic beauty of melody, harmony, and rhythm often evokes a sense of transcendence and awe, contributing to the spiritual dimensions of our children’s education. Therefore, Music education at Heskin Pemberton’s C of E Primary nurtures creativity, emotional well-being and a profound understanding of human experience.

Impact

The Heskin Pemberton’s Music Curriculum is about opening music up to the children, giving them plenty of different kinds of opportunities and experiences, all underpinned by the culmination of a performance to share their musical talents and spread joy. We know our children are learning and making progress in Music when they:

• Feel inspired by the work of musicians, composers, performers and each other and are excited to develop a life-long learning for the subject.
• Are confident performers (singers and instrumentalists), composers and listeners and are able to express themselves musically at and beyond school.
• Show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social, and historical contexts in which it is developed.
• Understand the ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities.
• Demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to articulate their own personal musical preferences and opinions using recognised musical language, including the interrelated dimensions of music (musical elements).
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Music.
• Leave primary school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary music education and to be able to enjoy and appreciate music throughout their lives.