Music

Music Curriculum Intent

“Music is a universal language that the whole world speaks.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

At Westerton Primary Academy, we understand that music can inspire and motivate children, and play an important role in their personal development. Music can also help children develop a greater appreciation of the world we live in, by understanding different cultures and societies through the universal language of music. We intend that our children should master music to such an extent that they can go on to have careers within music and make use of music effectively in their everyday lives.

Our children will be taught music in a way that ensures a clear progression of skills, and follows a ‘cumulative learning model’ where they build on previous learning. They will gain experience, knowledge and skills of a wide range of dimensions of music in a way that will enhance their learning opportunities.

We deliver a broad and balanced music curriculum, in line with national requirements, which enables pupils to:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.
• Learn to sing and use their voices.
• Create and compose music on their own and alongside their peers.
• Have the opportunities to learn a musical instrument, use technology properly and to progress to the next level of musical excellence.
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Curriculum Implementation

At Westerton, we follow a key scheme of work to allow for lessons to have both the high-standards we expect and sequential learning. Staff follow the Kapow scheme of work from EYFS to Year 6, allowing for continuity. The scheme has high quality lessons and was chosen after much research into the delivery of music. Staff are given CPD in order to deliver a high-quality curriculum and they understand that all learning must be adapted to their specific context, allowing for professional judgement to take place. We simply want what is best for our children.

Through this scheme, the children learn to play the glockenspiel from Year 1 through to 6. This allows the children to become increasingly familiar with this instrument such that by the time they leave Westerton, they make music confidently. They are also supplemented with other instruments such as untuned percussion, keyboard and xylophones.

In Year 4, all children access whole-class instrumental teaching through a professional music teacher. In this section of learning, they use the xylophone which allows for continuity with their prior glockenspiel learning to play and perform.

1.    Early years foundation stage (EYFS)

Staff at Westerton understand the how imperative the Early Years are for children’s future development. This crucial stage of children’s lives will form the foundations for subsequent learning. As such, we follow objectives as set out in both the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Development Matters (2021) documents, as produced by the Department for Education.

2. Our Curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 allows for Children to:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.
• Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence.
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

3. At Westerton Primary Academy, we provide a wealth of extra-curricular musical activities for the children to enjoy, including the following:

• Individual peripatetic tuition delivered by specialist teachers: this takes the form of both 1:1 tuition (paid extra) and whole-class in Year 4 where each child gets to learn how to play the Xylophone.
• Themed musical days: such as ‘Caribbean Day’ in Year 2 where the children are immersed into the musical culture of the Caribbean.
• Choirs led in school by teaching staff.
• Orchestra: delivered by a peripatetic teacher, where children gain an insight as to what it’s like to be part of an ensemble and develop their musicality.
• Leeds Schools Music Association (LSMA): offering both choir and instrumental performances. Children become part of the wider music community and play as part of a city-wide orchestra/choir
• Mary’s Carol Service: children and staff show Christmas community spirit by performing a Christmas arrangement at the local church
• Finally, our biggest musical event of the year: Westerton’s Musical Evening, where children are able to showcase to parents all the talent and skills developed throughout the school year for a full evening performance.

Music Policy.