Intent

Every class has a weekly music lesson from a specialist teacher. Other music making opportunities include singing worships, performances, whole school seasonal events, lunchtime choir and optional peripatetic instrumental tuition. 

In weekly music lessons we follow a Kodaly inspired approach focussing on developing musicianship, primarily through unaccompanied singing, body percussion and games, along with movement to a variety of music, with maximum participation and fun whilst learning. 

Lessons include the following elements:

• Learning a range of rhymes, songs and games, chosen for their specific teaching elements. 
• Singing tunefully simple songs with a limited range appropriate to their age.
• Listening to and moving with music appropriately. Talking about features they hear.
• Beat keeping activities.
• Discovering, representing, performing, reading, writing and improvising with rhythm elements and notation progressively.
• Discovering, representing, performing, reading, writing and improvising with solfa pitch elements and notation progressively.
• Differentiating between musical features – tempo, dynamics, musical form, pitch, timbre.
• Progressive part singing.
• Playing percussion and tuned instruments (e.g. metallophones and recorder), both from memory and from written notation.
• Working together cooperatively.
• Playing active musical games as part of their learning.
• Participating with enthusiasm and enjoyment.

SEND

Music is an inherently practical subject incorporating singing, movement and games. This enables and encourages every child to participate. Our approach in particular suits children who need to be active and moving and may find sitting still a challenge. We recognise that some children will not feel ready to join in everything straight away – they are supported to watch and listen until they feel ready. With younger children, specific songs are used to set expectations or manage lesson transitions.
Our singing-based approach teaches voice control from the very beginning and introduces percussion and tuned instruments gradually, to avoid a cacophony of sound. However children with sensory issues may find some music making overwhelming and can use ear protectors or have the opportunity to sit further away from instruments.
Some children may struggle with working with others in cooperative music making. They may benefit from a specific learning partner or adult support and structured opportunities to practice cooperative skills.
In music lessons, key vocabulary is presented aurally and visually through practical activities and revisited regularly. Teaching content is carefully sequenced and revisited as children move up the school. Our approach to music has a strong focus on developing auditory skills and coordination, which supports children’s literacy development and motor skills.
We also celebrate that music may give some children with SEND the opportunity to achieve highly.