Music

Intent The intent of the National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:
• perform, listen to, review, and evaluate music;
• are taught to sing, create, and compose music;
• understand and explore how music is created, produced, and communicated.
At St. Ethelbert’s, children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, appraising, improvising, and composing across a wide variety of styles and musical genres. They have opportunities to play instruments such as recorders, trumpets, and glockenspiels, as well as participate in regular singing assemblies. We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may play in any person’s life. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community (including our parish) and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music in a variety of different contexts.
Implementation The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform, and appraise. This is embedded in the classroom, in weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, music clubs, and teaching from specialist music teachers. Children have opportunities to play instruments including recorders, trumpets, and glockenspiels, alongside using body percussion and vocal sounds.
The elements of music are taught in class so that children can use the technical language of music to dissect it, understand how it is made, played, appreciated, and appraised. Children also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn enhances their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music.
Impact Whilst in school, children have access to varied musical experiences, allowing them to discover areas of strength as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection.
Music also develops 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 – as listener, creator, or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts, sing, feel a pulse, and show an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them as life-long learners. Regular participation in singing assemblies and playing instruments such as recorders, trumpets, and glockenspiels ensures that children experience both performance and practical musicianship, reinforcing skills across the curriculum.