Intent

At Field Lane, we value music as a powerful and unique form of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think and act. We believe that teaching music helps the body and the mind work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practise self-expression. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their musical potential and we aim to nurture and encourage musical development across the school. 

Our vision is to give children access to an engaging and fun music curriculum reflecting the world they live in now, but at the same time giving them access to musical styles throughout history. Children are able to listen and appraise a variety of musical styles alongside performing pieces and creating their own compositions through the use of instruments and technology.  We hope children continue to grow in confidence as they progress through the musical curriculum and become passionate in their responses to music. 

As a school, we aim to:

• To encourage awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of music in all its forms.
• To develop imagination and creativity.
• To help children of all abilities develop positive attitudes and to experience success and satisfaction in music.
• To offer opportunities to sing, play instruments, compose, listen and appraise.

Implementation

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision, which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability or additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. Our music curriculum is centred around ‘Charanga’, a music-based scheme, in which the children learn to sing, play instruments and compose. They also have an opportunity to develop an understanding of pulse, rhythm and notation. The programme incorporates the use of technologies, enabling the children to compose their own pieces. All children access a variety of musical games, songs, instruments, music workshops, and extra - curricular activities giving them practical hands-on experience.

We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. During the year, all children will have the opportunity to develop their understanding, skills and techniques in music. We are very proud of our musical achievements at Field Lane.  We welcome parents to our class assemblies throughout the year to share the musical ability we have at our school. 

Teachers set high expectations for all pupils. They will use appropriate assessment to set ambitious targets and plan challenging work for all groups, including:

•   More able pupils
•   Pupils with low prior attainment
•   Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds
•   Pupils with SEN
•   Pupils with English as an additional language (EAL)

Teachers will plan lessons so that pupils with SEN and/or disabilities can study every subject, wherever possible, and ensure that there are no barriers to every pupil achieving.

Teachers use inclusive high quality teaching to meet the needs of all pupils through an adapted curriculum

Teachers will also take account of the needs of pupils whose first language is not English. Lessons will be planned so that teaching opportunities help pupils to develop their English, and to support pupils to take part in all subjects.

Further information can be found in our statement of equality information and objectives, and in our SEN policy and information report.

EYFS

Through Expressive Arts, children are taught to sing songs, make music and dance. Children are given opportunities to experiment with ways of changing sound and develop an understanding of pulse rhythm and pitch. Children follow a scheme of work from Charanga Music School and enjoy listening and responding to different styles of music, learning to sing, joining in with nursery rhymes and action songs which leads to playing classroom instruments and performing for others. Children are also encouraged to use everyday objects to make music and create sound. Children enjoy exploring our music wall outdoors and experiment with sound using objects made from different materials such as wood, metal and plastic. Children experiment with water buts, kettles and pans, piping, guttering, bin lids and many different types of beaters.

Impact 

By the time children leave our school they will have a rapidly widened repertoire which they will be able to use to create original, imaginative, fluent and distinctive composing and performance works. 

This will be evident through;

•  a musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise
• very good awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres
• an understanding of how musical provenance - the historical, social and cultural origins of music - contributes to the diversity of musical styles
• the ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately
• a passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities

The impact of this Music curriculum will lead to outstanding progress over time across key stages relative to a child’s individual starting point and their progression of skills. Those children with a particular interest or aptitude in music will be given the opportunity to extend their education in a variety of ways, for example, orchestral groups, singing club, instrumental performances in assembly. Children will therefore be expected to leave Field Lane reaching at least age expected expectations for Music. Our Music curriculum will hopefully foster a love and increasing enthusiasm for the subject amongst our children, and a potential for life- long musical study.