Music

Music Purpose of Study and Intent 

Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. For this reason, music is an integral part of our school curriculum, as all children, even from an early age, require an artistic outlet. For many pupils, music can act as a vehicle for this artistic expression and can enable them to express their feelings and emotions in a constructive and creative manner.​

The overarching aim of teaching music at Topcliffe is not to produce trained musicians but rather to develop appreciation, sensitivity and understanding of different musical genres, as well as developing enjoyment and encouraging children to explore their emotional responses through participating in music based activities.​ Children will take part in a range of activities including, listening, singing, composing, practising and performing. 

Taking part in music lessons will also further develop the skills, attributes and attitudes that children can use to support their learning in other curriculum areas. For example, elements of science help children to recognise which sounds do and do not complement each other.

We teach music using Kapow. The intention of the Kapow Primary music scheme is first and foremost to help children to feel that they are musical, and to develop a life-long love of music. We focus on developing the skills, knowledge and understanding that children need in order to become confident performers, composers, and listeners.

Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate the music of all traditions and communities. Children will develop the musical skills of singing, playing tuned and untuned instruments, improvising and composing music, and listening and responding to music. They will develop an understanding of the history and cultural context of the music that they listen to and learn how music can be written down. Through music, our curriculum helps children develop transferable skills such as team-working, leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and presentation and performance skills. These skills are vital to children’s development as learners and have a wider application in their general lives outside and beyond school. Our scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets outlined in the National curriculum and the aims of the scheme align with those in the National curriculum.

Year 5 have weekly specialist teaching for their music lessons delivered by a peripatetic music teacher from Services for Education.  Each child is provided with an instrument for these lessons and the music curriculum is covered through these sessions. Year 6 then use the Y5 and Y6 curriculum materials along with further peripatetic lessons for those children who wish to continue learning their instrument.

Evidence of the lessons and any other music taught in class, for example class assemblies, performances for parents or the local community, cross curricular lessons, or whole school events, can be seen in videos, photos, recordings or self-evaluations completed by children.

Knowledge and Skills for Music Teaching - Music-Long-term-plan.pdf

Topcliffe-Music-Development-Plan.pdf