Intent

At Trumps Green Infant School, we believe that music is an important form of creativity, communication and expression. We want every child to experience the enjoyment and richness of music and to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to listen, perform, create and respond to music in a range of styles and traditions.

It is our intention that every pupil, regardless of starting point or individual need, develops the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate successfully in music. We have high expectations for all children, including those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, are known or have previously been known to children’s social care, or who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. Our music curriculum is designed so that all pupils can access an ambitious range of musical experiences, with appropriate adaptations, support and opportunities to practise and develop their skills. We recognise that children have different experiences of music outside school and provide regular opportunities for every child to sing, play, listen, create and perform.

What we intend pupils to know and do

We intend that pupils develop a secure and increasingly connected understanding of the building blocks of music. They will develop their understanding of pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture and structure and use appropriate musical vocabulary to describe what they hear and perform.

Pupils will develop the ability to listen attentively and respond to music. They will encounter a broad range of music from different genres, cultures, traditions and historical periods and learn to identify and describe some of its musical characteristics. They will develop the vocabulary to express preferences and observations and begin to explain how different musical elements contribute to the character and effect of a piece.

Pupils will develop their performing skills, particularly through singing and playing tuned and untuned instruments. They will learn to sing with increasing accuracy, control and expression, maintain a steady pulse, perform simple rhythmic and melodic patterns and perform together as part of an ensemble.

Pupils will also develop their ability to create and explore music. They will experiment with sounds, rhythms and patterns, improvise and compose simple musical ideas, and make choices about how sounds can be combined and organised.

Our curriculum deliberately develops the relationship between listening, performing and creating. Pupils listen closely to music and develop their understanding of its musical elements; they apply this knowledge when singing, playing and performing; and they use their growing understanding of music when improvising and composing their own ideas.

How music develops from Reception to Year 2

Our music curriculum is carefully sequenced from Reception to Year 2, with musical knowledge, vocabulary and skills systematically introduced, practised, revisited and developed over time. As Year 1 and Year 2 pupils learn together in mixed-age classes, pupils revisit key musical concepts and skills while increasing their control, independence and ability to apply their understanding.

In Reception, pupils develop the foundations for musical learning through regular opportunities to sing, move, listen, respond and explore sound. They develop an awareness of pulse and rhythm, experiment with their voices and instruments and begin to copy and create simple patterns. Through daily singing, musical play, collective worship and continuous provision, they develop confidence in participating in music with others.

Across Years 1 and 2, pupils build on these foundations through a progressively sequenced programme of singing, listening, playing, composing and performing. They develop greater accuracy and control when singing and playing instruments, maintain a steady pulse, perform increasingly varied rhythmic and melodic patterns and develop their understanding of musical vocabulary.

Pupils increasingly learn to listen with greater attention and purpose, identifying musical features such as pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre and structure. They encounter a broad range of music and begin to recognise characteristics associated with different genres, styles, traditions and cultures.

Within the mixed-age curriculum, pupils revisit key musical concepts and skills at increasing levels of depth and independence. Younger pupils are supported to establish essential musical knowledge and practical skills, while older or more experienced pupils are increasingly expected to apply these skills independently, combine musical elements, perform with greater control and expression, and explain their musical choices using appropriate vocabulary.

As pupils progress through Key Stage 1, they increasingly:

· maintain a steady pulse and perform simple rhythmic patterns;

· sing with increasing accuracy, control and expression;

· play tuned and untuned instruments with increasing confidence;

· recognise and use musical vocabulary to describe what they hear and perform;

· identify and respond to changes in musical elements;

· listen to and discuss a broad range of music from different genres, cultures and traditions;

· create, improvise and develop simple rhythmic and melodic ideas; and

· perform collaboratively, listening to others and contributing to an ensemble.

Music and the wider curriculum

We intend that pupils understand that music is both a subject in its own right and an important part of culture, community and personal expression.

Through music, pupils develop listening, memory, concentration, coordination, language, confidence and collaboration. Regular singing and ensemble experiences provide opportunities for children to work together, listen to one another and contribute to a shared outcome.

We provide opportunities for pupils to experience music beyond their classroom lessons, including collective worship, celebrations, performances and opportunities to share music with parents, carers and the wider school community. Through these experiences, pupils develop confidence as performers and understand that music can bring people together.

We want pupils to encounter a wide and diverse musical repertoire, including music from different cultures, traditions, genres and historical periods. This helps children to develop an appreciation of the breadth of musical expression and encourages them to remain curious about music beyond their own immediate experiences.

Intended end points

By the time children leave Trumps Green Infant School, we intend that pupils will have developed the foundational musical knowledge, vocabulary and practical skills necessary for the next stage of their education.

They will be increasingly confident young musicians who can:

· sing a range of songs with increasing accuracy, control and expression;

· maintain a steady pulse and perform simple rhythmic patterns;

· play tuned and untuned instruments with increasing control and confidence;

· recognise and use appropriate musical vocabulary, including pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre and structure;

· listen attentively to a range of music and identify and describe some of its musical features;

· recognise some characteristics of different genres, styles, traditions and cultures;

· respond to changes in musical elements when listening and performing;

· create, improvise and perform simple rhythmic and melodic ideas;

· make simple choices about sounds and musical elements when creating music;

· perform with others as part of an ensemble, listening and responding to the contributions of others;

· talk about and evaluate their own musical experiences and performances using appropriate vocabulary; and

· demonstrate enjoyment, curiosity, confidence and a willingness to listen, create, perform and explore music.

Our music curriculum is therefore designed to ensure that all children make progress from their individual starting points, secure the foundations of musical knowledge and skills, and develop the confidence to listen, perform and create music both independently and collaboratively.

Implementation

Music is taught through the Charanga scheme provided by Surrey Arts Interactive. This provides a clear progression from EYFS through to the end of KS1 with opportunities to listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions.

Each lesson builds on the previous with a consistent structure.

• Listen and Appraise (begin to recognise the basic style indicator).
• Musical Activities (vocal warm-ups, warm-up games).
• Learn the song or piece.
• Perform.

In early years, children are provided with experiences which enable them to be a part of the musical ethos of the school, coming together and singing as one community during school performances and collective worship. There are also daily opportunities to sing within class lessons and exploration of musical instruments within continuous provision.

In KS1 children are taught how to use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs during collective worship and as festival and celebration performance pieces to parents and each other. There are regular opportunities to explore and play tuned and un-tuned instruments musically with the purpose of performance. KS1 children are taught how to describe music, using a wide range of musical vocabulary to accurately appraise a rich variety of genres. 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.

Impact

Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer. They can listen with a critical ear, appraise music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse and by the end of KS1, understand some of the interrelated dimensions of music such as pulse, pitch and rhythm. They are able to understand the structure of musical pieces, a variety of genres and instruments and the purpose of performance.