Intent

We are a large multicultural school where all children and adults are valued and respected as individuals, irrespective of: · race · social circumstances · religion · sexual orientation· belief · age · gender · ability or disability. At Barley Lane Primary School music lessons are carefully planned with activities that recognise and value our school diverse community. In addition to our music-making pupils are given the opportunity to explore, cherish and share music and culture from their own heritage and background:

• Exploring different musical styles
• Exploring music by musicians from different backgrounds and traditions
• Using music to explore aspects of personal identity, social problems and issues.
• Learning about the history of genres (such as Hindu music; calypso, etc ).

Music is a unique way of communicating that can inspire and motivate children, as well as improve their self-discipline. At Barley Lane Primary School, staff members encourage children to be creative, imaginative and responsive to it. Music provides opportunities for personal expression and can play an important role in the personal development of an individual. It is a highly academic and demanding subject which complements and supports other areas of the curriculum. It is also known to improve children’s memory, concentration, cooperation and confidence.

At Barley Lane Primary School children learn through practical involvement in a wide range of musical experiences and music-making to develop skills in performing, composing and appraising. By engaging children in making and responding to music, music teaching offers opportunities for them to:

• develop their understanding and appreciation of a wide range of different kinds of music, developing and extending their own interests and increasing their ability to make judgements of musical quality;
• enjoy and appreciate the different dimensions of music through engaging and memorable lessons to develop lifelong skills.
• acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make music, for example in community music-making, and, where appropriate, to follow a music-related career;
• develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other subject areas and that are needed for life and work, for example listening skills, the ability to concentrate, creativity, intuition, aesthetic sensitivity, perseverance, self-confidence and sensitivity towards others.

Implementation

The National Curriculum for Music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
• Learn to sing, create and compose music
• Understand and explore how music is created, produce and communicated.

The Music National Curriculum is delivered through the activities of Performing, Listening, Appraising and Composing. The scheme of work seeks to provide a balanced program that ensures the children progress from year to year.

All children are taught by a Specialist Music teacher once fortnightly. Music is taught as a discrete subject but also provides strong links to other parts of the curriculum, particularly through singing and composition.

Early Years Foundation Stage 

We teach music in our nursery and reception classes as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. As nursery and reception classes are part of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, we relate the musical aspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals, which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged three to five. Music contributes to a child’s personal and social development. Counting songs foster a child’s mathematical ability and songs from different cultures increase a child’s knowledge and understanding of the world.

KS1 and KS2

The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in Music lessons. The principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in Music.  Teachers ensure that the children develop acute listening skills and apply their developing knowledge and understanding when performing, composing and appraising. Within lessons, we give children the opportunity both to work on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children’s ideas and treating these with respect. Children critically evaluate their own performance and compositions and those of others, including music of western and other cultures.  They have the opportunity to use a wide range of instruments and resources.

In all classes there are children of differing ability.  We recognise this fact and provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this through a range of strategies. Activities are planned in a way that encourages full and active participation by all children, matched to their knowledge, previous understanding and capacity for growth.

Talented pupils get the opportunity to perform in music assemblies and encourage other children to play a musical instrument, they are also challenged in creative and composing activities.  SEND pupils benefit form support staff during music lessons. Visuals like now and next, with differentiated music actives are also available. 

Children in all year groups sing in a singing assembly. This is organized in two sessions, one for KS1 and one for KS2. Songs are sung in unison and in parts, with and without backing tracks and become more challenging in KS2. Songs are practiced for special assemblies, concerts and just for fun. Children sing and clap back rhythms and develop their ear for music. Music assemblies celebrate the talents of pupils who learn instruments outside school as well as with our peripatetic teachers. Each week, different pupils perform for their peers at the beginning of the assembly.

Every month the school has a Song of the Month and a Composer of the Month. Every child in KS1 and KS2 learns the Song of the Month and learns about the Composer of the Month both in their music sessions, during music assemblies and with their class teacher during regular class time.

Every term, pupils get the opportunity to addend music workshops and listen to live music, this could be either online or in school.

Additional Opportunities

There are two choir clubs available for children to join in KS2. The choirs rehearse at lunch time for half an hour every week. The choirs are involved with conferences set up with schools around the globe and have a variety of performance opportunities throughout the year. The choirs also take part in major music events such as Young Voices at the O2, Redbridge Choral Festival at The Royal Albert Hall and our local SPG annual arts extravaganza

Instrumental lessons occur throughout the school day, taught by visiting Borough staff. Many pupils benefit from these lessons and often have the opportunity to use their skills in the classroom music lessons. Pupils also get the opportunity to perform in music assemblies and school concerts.

Resources

Music throughout the school is taught from the National Curriculum. The topics chosen are generally linked to the theme the particular class is working on for that half term and build upon prior learning. There are opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each teaching unit. The planned progression built into the scheme of work means that the children are increasingly challenged as they move through the school.  The medium-term plans give details of each unit of work for each half term.

The school uses a variety of music schemes such as Signup and Music Express and other music resources available such as Royal Opera house Create and Learn program.

The school has a large dedicated music room and a smaller room used for instrumental lessons. There is a wide selection of instruments, recordings and music resource books available to all staff to use.

The teacher is responsible for ensuring the safety of the children during the lesson by instructing them in the safe and appropriate use of any equipment. The teacher is responsible for the general care of the instruments during the lesson. Any instruments which have a mouthpiece and are blown are to be disinfected before the next class uses them.

Impact

Progression in Music will be assessed throughout each key stage through the children’s ability to produce and perform using their own voice, body and different musical instruments.  

Teachers assess children’s work in music by making informal judgements about achievement of Teaching and Learning objectives as they observe them during lessons. Children will be assessed in this manner on a continual basis in order to match their ability to the level of descriptions in the National Curriculum. Recordings, use of a digital camera, written/drawn work or videos may also be used to record work done.

• Observing children during music sessions.
• Observing Year groups achievements, confidence, self-reflection and interaction with others.
• Observing each key stage performance during music assemblies.
• Observing whole school overall enjoyment for music.