Music

Intent

At Beaconsfield Primary School our Music curriculum aims to:

• Provide an enriching and comprehensive music curriculum, which gives all pupils the opportunity to listen, sing, compose and perform with proficiency and enthusiasm.
• Embed our music knowledge categories that allow our pupils to build on prior skills and knowledge across EYFS, Key Stage 1 and 2.
• Provide pupils with the knowledge and skills to be able to read and transcribe stave notation, using simple and compound time, complex rhythms, including dotted rhythms, and a full diatonic scale.
• Foster creativity and nurture talent, where our pupils gain an in-depth understanding of music across various genres and cultures that allow our pupils to connect emotionally with music.
• Celebrate and appreciate music of different genres, culture and traditions that complements our diverse community.
• Empower our pupils to utilise music to build on their confidence, teamwork and self-expression, as this links with UNCRC rights and pupil voice.
• Teach pupils to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others, enabling them to experiment and persevere, which links to the development of their 'Growth Mindset'

Our Curriculum

The following factors have been taken into consideration when designing our Music curriculum:

• The curriculum map incorporates the necessary learning outlined in the National Curriculum and EYFS framework through a series of half-termly units that support the development of pupils’ musical skills and knowledge with clear progression.
• Collaboration with our specialist music provider ‘Sing Education’, ensures that pupils have access to high-quality lessons that are child-centred and elicit a love of music.
• Incorporating The Kodaly method ensures musical concepts are presented systematically and aligned with students' prior experience. In addition, students will receive a high-quality, balanced, and inclusive music education by using the Model Music Curriculum’s principles.
• Including regular performances and recordings at the end of each half term provide students with opportunities to showcase their musical growth and articulate their learning journey.
• Providing extracurricular activities, such as after-school music clubs and singing assemblies to further immerse students in the joy of music.
• Recognising the need to ensure our pupils are fully prepared to become global citizens within the framework of British Values and UNCRC rights of a child.
• Fostering understanding and respect for cultural differences is developed through pupils’ participation in musical productions and assemblies for the wider school community.
• Challenging issues relating to gender and racial stereotypes by exposing our pupils to a range of music by both male and female composers that are of different colour.

Please find the Music overviews for each year group below:

Nursery - click here

Reception - click here

Year 1 - click here

Year 2 - click here

Year 3 - click here

Year 4 - click here

Year 5 - click here

Year 6 - click here

Assessment in Music

The primary reason for assessment is to provide the pupil and the teacher with vital information which can then be used to improve future teaching and learning. Teachers will use a range of strategies to gain information about how well a child has understood a concept during the lesson including the use of effective questioning and the answers given in weekly music lessons. Appropriate feedback and peer or self-assessment are then be used to provide children with the information they need to continue to make rapid progress.

On a weekly basis, music teachers will evaluate each lesson and identify steps which need to be taken to address any gaps in learning or misconceptions.  They also assess pupils’ progress over the course of each topic.

Parents are able to discuss the progress their children are making in Music informally at any point during and are also invited to Parent Open Evenings once every term. End of year reports include a summative assessment of pupils’ progress across the year.

Enrichment opportunities

Examples of enrichment experiences which take place regularly include KS1 and KS2 Choirs, Recorder Club, Ukulele and Music Performances for parents and carers. Opportunities for pupils to watch live music performances such as a visit to watch a West End production are provided (COVID restrictions allowing) in addition to utilising the resources from our local bridge organisation to seek out performers to visit the school.

How to Support Your Child at Home

In the document below you will find a range of activities which have been selected to match the Music Curriculum that your child is studying in school. They can be used to further support your child’s development of their musical skills at home and help you to understand more about what your child is learning about in Music.

Please click here to download the document.