Intent of the Music Curriculum
Hunton & Arrathorne Community Primary School is a musical school; pupils love music and are successful at it. As well as the curriculum diet, pupils are exposed to musical events throughout the year and have previously had excellent success in the ‘Wensleydale Tournament of Song’. Pupils come together weekly for a singing assembly, take part in regular musical productions and have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through our links with the NYCC music service. Many pupils further their interest and study of Music privately and at home.
At our school, children gain a thorough understanding of what music is by playing, listening, composing, analysing and evaluating across a wide variety of styles, traditions, genres and historical periods. We are committed to ensuring children are exposed to all types of music and making our curriculum spark interest in the subject, which the children take with them throughout their life. We are committed to ensuring children have access to a range of musical styles and see music as a form of creative expression.
In terms of our individual children, they enjoy taking part in musical events within the community. We have recognised that they lack exposure to wider musical events and music plays a big part in our ambition for pupils when they leave the school, both in terms of performing, learning an instrument and exposure to a wide variety of music.
Implementation of the Music Curriculum
The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate.
This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, concerts and performances, extra curricular activities and the learning of musical instruments. The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. In the classroom, students learn how to play an instrument progressively, also building on their understanding of musical notation.
They also learn how to compose focussing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.
Music lessons are taught weekly and, combined with our singing assembly, we ensure pupils have at least 1 hour of music per week.
Impact of the Music Curriculum
Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows students to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a student may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.
