Music
Intent
At Chapelfield Primary School, all our children will be able to read music and play a musical instrument by the time they reach the end of Year 6. They are exposed to a range of music and will have participated in Singing, Listening , Composing and Performing. We aim for our music sessions to be engaging, enjoyable and largely practical.
Implementation
When delivered as part of a broad and balanced curriculum, music can have a positive impact on a child’s overall development. At Chapelfield, we have enlisted the support of Bury Music Service to develop the new Model Music Curriculum, which sets out an ambitious pathway for children’s musical journey.
Each year, we review the music ‘offer’ and adapt it to meet the needs of our children, focusing on any particular element which may enhance their learning further and complement the other areas of our wider curriculum.
The Model Music Curriculum has set high expectations for its pupils with a clear pathway. It is based around four elements:
SINGING
Through good vocal production, careful listening and well-developed sense of pitch, children should be able to sing in harmony and with musical delivery by the end of year 6.
LISTENING
Pupils learn to listen critically, gaining a deeper understanding of how much is constructed. Pupils will learn about music from a wide range of cultures and beliefs, supporting their cultural capital learning. By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to identify a range of music and their characteristics.
COMPOSING
The creative process allows pupils to contribute to musical culture in unique and valuable ways. It embeds their learning of the other elements and allows pupils to express themselves. By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to improvise extended melodies over a fixed groove and compose, notate and perform an 8 or 16 beat melodic phrase.
PERFORMING
Performance opportunities allow students to celebrate their learning, share their music and communicate with their peers. This can be informal performances in class to their peers as well as end of year concerts and shows. By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to sight read a melody on an instrument, taking into account dynamics, to accompany the same melody and to engage with others in ensemble playing.
All the above elements should combine to ensure progression and engagement through the age ranges.
We operate a rota system over the 6 terms for Music coverage at Chapelfield. Each class has the opportunity to work with Bury Music Service for a minimum of 3 half terms per year. Children also participate in the Big Sing every other week, learning songs with other children in their Key Stage. Teaching staff are involved in the lessons and can identify children who need additional support. They are then able to transfer the skills/vocabulary/performance skills taught to other areas of our wider curriculum.
Wider opportunities
In order for our children at Chapelfield to reach our desired outcomes at the end of Year 6, we build in wider opportunities to our curriculum. In Year 4, the children will learn how to read basic music whilst learning to play the recorder. Following this, in Year 5, all children will build on their music reading by learning to play a brass instrument. Some of these children will continue into Year 6 in an ‘advanced brass ensemble’. Our children then showcase their musical learning in our annual ‘Leavers’ Assembly ‘ at the end of Year 6.
We also have a KS2 Choir at lunchtimes to again, embed the musical knowledge and skills from the class- based sessions. The choir will aim to perform in school to parents, their peers and be involved in Bury related musical performances. We have some regular opportunities for performance and this year this has included performing at Bury Market, in Christmas Concerts and in front of the Mayor of Bury.
Impact
Bury Music Service, together with staff at Chapelfield identify objectives achieved at the end of each half term for the year groups taught and performances to peers and other groups are observed. Children who are not reaching expectation and children who are showing greater depth understanding are identified on internal assessment systems which are reviewed by the subject lead and senior leaders. These children will then be monitored over the next unit of sessions. At Chapelfield, we want our children to be confident performers, so we look for a range of opportunities to improve performance skills through musical performance.
Our Music Development Plan
At Chapelfield Primary School, we believe in the transformative power of music to enrich our pupils' lives, build confidence, and develop creativity. This music development plan captures our high-quality curriculum, co-curricular and enrichment offer, and sets out our ambition to continue to develop our curriculum offer.
Our plan helps us ensure our music curriculum is high quality, make the best use of available resources including our local music hub, upskill our teachers where necessary, monitor success, and support pupils to overcome barriers and pursue music beyond the curriculum. We are committed to ensuring that every child at Chapelfield, aged 5-11, has access to engaging musical experiences that inspire a lifelong love of music, regardless of their background or starting point.