Music AT SOUTHFIELD
Music Intent
At Southfield Junior School, our music curriculum inspires an enjoyment and love of learning, promoting musical development across the school. Children are taught the skills to gain an understanding of what music is through singing, playing, rehearsing, performing, listening and composing music across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music in a variety of different contexts.
Music Implementation
The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as in weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments, and the joining of one of our many musical ensembles. The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons using the scheme ‘Charanga’ so that children are able to use some of the language of music to study it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. The Charanga scheme of work is used from Year 1 - 6 to ensure a wide exposure to different genres of music, with lots of practical opportunities to explore and develop as musicians and singers. This allows the children to understand the different principles of each method of creating notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose focusing 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.
Each unit of work has an on-going musical learning focus and lessons usually follow a specific learning sequence:
- Listen and Appraise
- Musical Activities (including pulse and rhythm)
- Singing and Voice
- Playing instruments
- Improvisation / Composition
- Perform and Share
Our thorough progression map also follows the same learning sequence as Charanga to ensure all interrelated elements of music are covered and implemented. This ensures that children are given the opportunity to learn and acquire appropriate skills in music which are progressive across all year groups.
Music Impact
Whilst at Southfield, children have access to a varied musical programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas that they might like to improve upon. Progress is assessed throughout the year and is used to track the development and knowledge of our pupil’s musical ability. Children are able to access fundamental abilities such as achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. They also have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive Music will also develop an understanding of culture, history, and ethnicities from across the world. As well as this, children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose - either as a listener, performer or creator.