Music
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high- quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
Purpose of Study, Music National Curriculum, 2014
Our Music curriculum at CJS has been developed to fulfil the requirements of the National curriculum ensuring it is inclusive to every child. Music is a unique way of communication that can inspire and motivate children.
Intent
In CJS, music will follow the new guidelines in the National Curriculum. Children will be given the opportunities to play, perform, improvise, compose, record and listen to music. They will develop an understanding of the elements of music and how they can be incorporated into their own musical ideas. Children will explore different influences for their compositions and improvisations. All children will learn standard staff notation as well as other forms of graphic representation. Children will develop an understanding of the history of music as well as exploring music from a wide range of traditions and cultures. Over the four years, we look to develop and enhance their skills and inspire a love for music.
Implementation
At CJS, music is delivered by qualified music specialists. All children receive one hour per week of curriculum music in a purpose built, well-resourced music room. 2 practice rooms are available for small group rehearsal and for instrumental teaching. The music curriculum either links to year group topic areas or is delivered in discrete skills for music learning. Throughout the four years, children revisit, experiment and build on skills using a wide range of instrumentation available to them. Composing and improvising is undertaken individually and in small groups whilst performance could be as an individual, a small group or whole class.
All children have the opportunity to learn and play a musical instrument during curriculum time.
All children in Year 3 learn to play the recorder and are introduced to reading standard notation.
Children in year 4 have a first access programme for 10 weeks delivered through Soundstorm where they learn rhythms as part of a samba band.
In Year 5, some children will have the opportunity to be part of a class concert band, learning to play a concert band instrument together. All children in Year 5 will also learn to play a Jumbie Jam as part of a group, reading and playing rhythms and tunes typical to the Caribbean.
Singing is an integral part of music and we encourage children to use their voices. They take part in a singing project with a specialist singing teacher in Year 5 with a view to taking part in a large scale performance.
We offer a broad choice of peripatetic teaching across the four year groups and a range of extra curricular activities for children to widen their musical experiences as well as to expand the most able.
Impact
Throughout their time at CJS, children are offered many occasions to perform. All children will have the opportunity to perform in a recorder concert, a samba concert and a singing concert with other schools from Christchurch amongst other opportunities such as end of year shows, Christmas Carol service at the Priory and performing in our community.
Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer.
There are many opportunities for the children to compose and improvise in small groups and these are recorded, either using graphic or standard notation, and recorded using technology.
We aim for children to have had a varied and wide experience of music in their time at CJS whilst instilling an enjoyment, appreciation and love for music.
