OPEN DAY: Friday 17th November 2023.

Music

Understanding and exploring how music is created, produced and communicated.

Music

Our curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:

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.

Intent

At Beetham, children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. 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. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community 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 evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom through the structured music programme Charanga as well as weekly singing assemblies, concerts and performances, musical clubs and teaching from specialist music teachers. The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so that children learn and are able to use some of the language of music and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom children learn key aspects of music through cross-curricular links, often related to other areas of study, particularly History. Composing or performing using tuned/untuned percussion instruments, body percussion and vocal sounds is an important part of the curriculum which helps to develop children’s understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music.

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. Music contributes to children developing an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from around the world. Music education helps to develop self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer and this provides a firm foundation for future learning.

At Beetham CE Primary School children are provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include having visitors with a musical talent, visiting concerts and school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and shared, promoting an appreciation of all aspects of music throughout the school.

Supporting Music Documents

Document Downloads