Music
The music curriculum is based on four pillars: listening, performing, composing and appraising. These elements are present across all year groups and within every half term project. Practical music making (whether with voice or instruments) is at the heart of every project and occupies the vast majority of each lesson.
We start using percussion (both tuned and untuned) in Reception and continue to use this throughout the school. Year 3 play the ukuleles all year and Year 4 the recorders. Year 5, typically, have part of the year exploring drumming - African, some samba rhythms, tamboo bamboo and rock/pop (with sticks). They also do a class band project which includes every instrument learnt in school whether in small group or whole class, plus percussion.
Composition is undertaken both with voice and instruments. We regularly record our work (audio and video) and this is stored in the music evidence folder on the shared resources network.
Listening/performing includes a wide variety of genres with specific projects in each year group (Reception – rock; Year 1 Marching Bands, Hip Hop and Rap; Year 2 Blues and Jazz; Year 3 use a mixture of repertoire including calypso, tango, rap, reggae, folk, pop, R&B. Year 4 play recorder in classical, folk and jazz genres; Year 5 classical, rock and pop, reggae, film scores, Year 6 musical theatre).
In addition, the school has a project week every half term and music is chosen to fit that project - this has included: The 60’s, Oceans, Space, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.