Music
"Achieving Together in God's Love"
Intent
At Our Lady of Victories, we believe that music has the potential to make a significant contribution to the children’s development: increasing confidence and self-esteem, developing leadership, working as a team, concentration and problem-solving skills, and developing identity and improving social cohesion within the school and wider community. As a School of Confidence, we endeavour to provide a variety of musical experiences through a curriculum which develops learning, improves knowledge and promotes pupil well-being through building up the confidence of all children. Music can impact the way that children think, feel and act; we want music to develop motor skills, allow self-expression and to encourage the body and mind to work together.
As a School of Love and Opportunity, we believe that all learning should be adapted to the needs of all children (SEN, EAL, more able, disadvantaged) and that the curriculum should be carefully planned to take account of everyone in the class so that all can succeed.
As a result of our Music Curriculum our children are encouraged to:
- Explore the musical heritage, tradition and culture of different countries and identities.
- Develop a love and appreciation of music.
- Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music.
- Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of genres, styles and historical periods.
- Create and compose music both individually and collaboratively.
- Develop an ability to understand rhythm, structure and organisation.
- Be given opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments, both tuned and untuned.
- Read and write musical notation.
- Have knowledge of and use a range of musical vocabulary to discuss music and develop descriptive language skills.
- Sing in tune using voices to create different effects.
- Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.
- Display a deep understanding of our school values by listening to, interpreting and expressing themselves through music.
We teach our students to use music as a tool to become courageous advocates, highlighting issues that are important to them. Music plays an important part in helping children feel part of a community. We want to ensure our children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and encourage them to use their musical skills, knowledge and experience to involve themselves and others in music.
Implementation
Programme of Study
Following the New Music Model Curriculum 2021 we look at 4 main areas of learning: listening and appraising; singing; composing and performing. A library of varied resources to engage learners is with this document which we also supplement with other music learning platforms such as Charanga and Oak Academy.
https://www.bradfordmusiconline.co.uk/
The learning journey is clear, beginning with listening to and appraising music, considering its genre, style and structure. Practical lessons follow, which include singing and playing instruments, as well as exploring improvisation and composition with both tuned and untuned instruments. Students are provided with many opportunities for performance, which encourages reflection and celebration of achievements.
Cross-curricular links also allow students to explore music and sound through the topics they study in other lessons, such as History, English and RE.
https://culturebridgenortheast.org.uk/compendium-music-resources
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ks1-music/zbcjscw
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ks2-music/zfv96v4
As well as regular music lessons as part of weekly timetables (taught by a specialist music practitioner), musical elements are embedded into lessons in other areas of the curriculum. As a School of Faith and part of worship, children learn a variety of hymns and songs, which are practised and performed in school and at church. This includes singing from the Diocese. We run a choir that practises weekly, allowing performers an opportunity to collaborate and express themselves vocally. Significant dates in the school calendar are marked by musical performances, eg. Christmas, Easter, Harvest and Year 6 graduation. This illustrates that music is an integral part of our school culture and that we recognise the benefits learning music can have.
Musicians from the local area are invited in to perform for the children, allowing them to experience live music.
Impact
As a School of Creativity, the children at Our Lady of Victories’ develop a love of music and an increased understanding of the impact that music can have on their own and others’ lives.
The children demonstrate progression of knowledge and skills which they continuously build on and embed.
Through music, the children develop the fundamental competencies of confidence, curiosity, collaboration, communication, creativity, commitment and craftsmanship.
The children develop an understanding of culture and history in relation to themselves individually, their local music heritage and music from ethnicities from around the world.
We monitor the impact of our curriculum through pupil voice exercises, pupil and parental surveys, and teaching and learning observations.
