INTENT

At Burley Gate, we value music because it is a powerful and unique form of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think and act. We aim to have designed a music curriculum and scheme of work with appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the EYFS and National Curriculum Music Programmes of study. The order in which we teach the units is based on our knowledge of our children’s interests and curiosity. To fulfil the duties of the National Curriculum, we aim to provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for later life.  Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn the sounds and meanings of words. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their musical potential and we aim to nurture and encourage musical development across the school.

IMPLEMENTATION

Each year group has a particular skill to focus on; these are set out and made clear in our curriculum plan. The children will then progress through the skills as they move up the school.

From year 2, children are given the opportunity to learn an instrument, whether it be the glockenspiel or ukulele. We also have a range of peripatetic teachers who come in to school to teach instruments on a 1:1 basis.  

Music lessons are taught once a week in each year group. Links with other areas of the curriculum are embraced to provide a more meaningful learning experience.

All children from year 2 to year 6 are welcome to join the school choir and will get the opportunity to go on various trips to develop their skills and to perform to audiences.

The children are given yearly opportunities to showcase music being taught.

We also have weekly hymn practice which enables all pupils to develop their aural and performing skills.

KS1 have the opportunity to perform in a Nativity.

KS2 perform in a Summer production.

We also hold termly services in our local church, together with class assemblies in the school hall.

IMPACT

Throughout each child’s journey at Burley Gate, their musical skills and understanding are added to year on year, from singing nursery rhymes and action songs from memory and performing simple rhythm patterns on tuned and untuned percussion instruments in Early Years, progressing their skills and understanding in KS1, where they also experience instrumental tuition on the recorder or handbells, further developing to whole class instrumental tuition on the ukulele and glockenspiel. In KS2, the children further develop their skills and subject knowledge; they access music confidently and have the ability to read and follow a simple musical or graphical score. Throughout all of this, each child’s enjoyment of music is a key element, running alongside the ‘taught’ musical skills and objectives.