Music at St. Anne's Catholic Primary School
Music Lead: Miss Taylor

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, listen, and perform.

Our music culture is very active and all our children receive one hour’s tuition every week.  We strongly believe in the power of singing and our children receive regular opportunities to use their voices during hymn practice sessions and collective worship.

All children have the opportunity to learn instruments within the Music curriculum, but we also provide opportunities for individual lessons during and after the school day. These lessons are provided by Surrey Arts and parents would need to contact them directly to apply.

Intent

The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
• Be taught to sing, create and compose music
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated

At St Anne’s, we recognise the importance Music plays in the curriculum and beyond. We understand that Music provides opportunity for personal expression and growth and the integral part it can play in developing the whole child. This vibrant subject transcends different cultures, abilities and generations and facilitates the bringing together of communities. We value the subject as a unique way of communicating which can both inspire and motivate children with a love of music which they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Music lessons at St Anne’s encourage children to be creative, imaginative and confident learners. Our objectives in the teaching of Music align with the National Curriculum in that we aim to ensure all pupils: Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians; Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence; Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Implementation

Our Music lessons are planned using the Get Set 4 Music platform, which aligns with our core values, our whole-child approach to Music and the objectives laid out in the National Curriculum. Get Set 4 Music is planned so that progression is built into the scheme, which ensures our children are increasingly challenged as they move up through the school.

The curriculum planning in Music is carried out in three phases (long-term, medium-term and short-term). The long-term plan maps out the Music topics covered in each term during the key stage. Our medium-term plans give details of each unit of work for each term. These schemes of work provide an overview of the unit, links to other areas of the National Curriculum and assessment criteria for that unit. The short-term lesson plans provide opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their musical skills, understanding and depth of knowledge by offering learning opportunities that build on pupils’ previous experiences.

At our school, music is taught once a week as part of a broad and engaging curriculum, enhanced by strong links with Surrey Arts, who provide specialist instrumental lessons in piano, guitar and ukulele. Pupils also benefit from Rock Steady sessions, where they learn to play as part of a band and develop ensemble skills. Our choir performs regularly in school and the wider community, offering valuable performance experience. Weekly KS1 and KS2 worship through song further support musical development and ensure that singing remains central to school life.

Impact

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows 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 will also develop their 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 a listener, creator or performer. They can analyse music and comprehend its parts. They are able to enjoy singing all different genres of music with confidence.

Students are taught to be appreciative and supportive when listening attentively to other students’ performances. Pupils are encouraged to make their own choices, and express themselves, when composing.