Music
Intent
At More Park Catholic Primary School, we use the Sing Up Music curriculum to develop pupils’ musical knowledge, skills and understanding progressively from Reception to Year 6. Through singing, performing, composing, improvising, listening and appraising, children develop confidence, creativity and a lifelong appreciation of music. The curriculum provides opportunities to encounter a wide range of musical styles, traditions, cultures and composers.
Implementation
In class, we follow the Sing Up music scheme which promotes skills based mastery of musical concepts. Music is learnt weekly, with years 4 and 5 receiving extra ukelele tuition from a peripatetic tutor on a rotating two weekly basis.
Musical Development Across the School
Singing and performing: Developing confident, expressive singing and ensemble performance, with increasing attention to pitch, rhythm, dynamics, expression and musical accuracy.
Listening and appraising: Listening to and responding to music from different periods, cultures, traditions and genres, using appropriate musical vocabulary.
Composing and improvising: Developing ideas through rhythmic and melodic improvisation and composition, moving from exploration towards increasingly structured and purposeful musical outcomes.
Playing instruments: Developing secure rhythmic and melodic skills through classroom percussion and other instruments, with increasing independence and ensemble awareness.
Musical vocabulary: Building knowledge of pulse, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, pitch, timbre, texture, structure and notation, applying vocabulary when discussing and creating music.
Cultural understanding: Encountering music from a diverse range of cultures and traditions and developing respect for different musical practices and forms of expression.
Impact
Children leave More Park with a secure foundation of musical skills. They have been introduced to a variety of musical genres and have been given the opportunity to learn at least one instrument (Ukelele). Children are able to compose and improvise using the inter-related dimensions of music, having also built a musical vocabulary to discuss and critique both their work and the work of others.
Instrumental Lessons
We are very lucky at More Park to have amazing instrumental tutors visiting our school. We have string, piano, woodwind and brass tuition available in school!
As you know, at More Park we really value our instrumentalists, and they are given many opportunities to showcase their talents. Most children begin learning an instrument from KS2 (year 3 upwards), but if you have a child really eager to learn who is in year 2, please also get in touch with me, as we consider younger students on a child-by-child basis. Kent Music define music learning like this:
Learning with Kent Music
There is no minimum or maximum age when it comes to learning music! Introducing music to children at an early age can improve their learning ability and memory as well as skills such as sharing, creativity and concentration. We have students aged 5 and upwards – the age at which you can start is generally dependent on three factors:
- Academic ability – in order to succeed with instrumental or vocal tuition, you need to be able to count confidently and be learning or able to read.
- Physical dexterity – playing any instrument is about making controlled and purposeful physical movements with hands and fingers, and, with wind instruments, coordinating this with breathing.
- Emotional maturity – your lesson will last for at least 20 minutes, during which you will have to work hard, stay focused, and have good behaviour. You will also need to practice for at least 15 minutes every day on tasks your teacher sets.
If you have a child who would like to learn an instrument, please get in touch with me and I can give you more details
Many thanks, and I look forward to enrolling our next generation of musicians!
Stephanie Boden
stephanie.boden@more-park-westmalling.kcsp.org.uk
Music in our school:
