Intent
At Escomb Primary School, Music is taught so that knowledge and skills are learned and embedded throughout the curriculum. We recognise the importance of music in our children’s every day life and wish to promote a love and passion for the subject. Music is taught as part of the National Curriculum and aims for the children to:
• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a wide range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• Learn to sing and 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 experience.
• 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.
Music at Escomb is designed to allow children to fully explore all aspects of music by using different musical instruments within a variety of genres to insight their curiosity, creativeness and positive attitudes both within this subject and across other areas of the curriculum.
Implementation
Music is taught weekly through a carefully planned programme that enables children to build upon previously learned skills and knowledge to prepare them for the next step in their music journey. Throughout each year group, there are seven key areas that are designed to give children the broad knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a musician. These are: Pulse, Rhythm, Melody, Active listening, Composing and Improvising, Performing and Singing. In addition to this, the Charanga music website can be accessed by both children and staff which provide a variety of games and activities that further develop these seven key areas.
As well as our general music curriculum, children are given lots of further opportunities to develop their passion for music. Our partnership with The Durham Music Service provides specialist teaching each term whereby children can receive both instrumental tuition and fun, exciting lessons incorporating the seven key areas. As part of this, children also have the opportunity to partake in Durham Music Service’s Big Sing events across the year.
Impact
The music education at Escomb Primary School gives our children an exciting, engaging and high-quality experience that provides them with the necessary knowledge and understanding to further their musical ability throughout the next phase of education. Children are able to explore practically within all lessons and this gives them the freedom to become their own composers and be creative. As a result, children can build and improve upon their current aspirations and achieve higher within
music throughout their educational career.