“Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”
– Plato
Subject Lead: Mr Adams
Intent-
At St Joseph’s, it is our intent that we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to understand rhythm and follow a beat. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music. Children develop descriptive language skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent different feelings, emotions and narratives. We also teach technical vocabulary such as volume, pitch, beat and rhythm and encourage children to discuss music using these terms.
Our music curriculum aims to ensure that children:
- become confident when experimenting with creating, selecting and combining sounds to performing music using voices, body percussion, technology or tuned/untuned instruments.
- develop resilience by not giving up when creating and composing music of their own using varied mediums.
- learn the importance of being respectful while listening to, reviewing and evaluating music from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.
- establish high levels of self-belief so that they are capable when faced with musical challenges.
Implementation-
At St Joseph’s we have recently began implementing the Charanga scheme of learning. Charanga is a scheme of work which offers a topic-based approach to support children’s learning in music. A steady progression plan has been built into Charanga, both within each year and from one year to the next, ensuring consistent musical development. By using Charanga, we can ensure that they are fulfilling the aims for musical learning stated in the National Curriculum. Charanga includes many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enable understanding of the context and genre. Charanga provides a classroom-based, participatory and inclusive approach to music learning. Throughout the scheme, children are actively involved in using and developing their singing voices, using body percussion and whole-body actions, and learning to handle and play classroom instruments effectively to create and express their own and others’ music. Through a range of whole class, group and individual activities, children have opportunities to explore sounds, listen actively, compose and perform. skill and given chance for collaboration through composition.
Children are returning to having weekly singing assemblies and a choir is to be re-established. These experiences allow for children to develop and reinforce their singing skills with focus on their understanding of key musical elements like rhythm and pitch. This academic year, children will also begin learning to play a tuned instrument in the form of the recorder. All children, year one and above, will begin learning to play the recorder. Their skills will be built upon each year to promote progress.
Trips and visiting experts should be arranged by teachers in order to enhance the learning experience.
At St Joseph’s we have designed a broad and balanced curriculum.