Music

Intent

At Castle Camps C of E Primary School, children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres, with some specialist teaching provision.

Our pupils develop a passion and curiosity for the subject, through active participation children a variety of musical experiences. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts such as choirs, ensembles and productions.

Castle Camps pupils are able to sing with confidence and are taught to listen and appreciate, compose, perform and notate through a sequence of lessons that encompass all of these elements. 

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, regular concerts and performances, and the learning of instruments. Through the musical programme Charanga, teachers are able to produce inclusive lessons for all children to access the musical curriculum in a fun and engaging way, further promoting a love of learning. Teachers deliver music following the Charanga programme, designed specifically for the teaching of music in primary schools. Charanga lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding. Teachers will also use YuStudio, a beginner-friendly online music studio, to explore and compose in different musical styles. Teachers also use lessons from the BBC Ten Pieces, where a sequence of lessons is taught based on a piece of classical music from a well-known composer. The elements of music are taught in 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. In the classroom children learn how to play the recorder, glockenspiel, and a variety of other percussion instruments. Playing various instruments enables children to use a range of methods to create notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.

Impact

Music enables children to develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. At Castle Camps Primary School children are provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include having visitors with a musical talent, school recitals, taking part in concerts with other schools and school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience. Children have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.