Music
Through our Christian Faith, we acknowledge our responsibility to all, to enrich lives and show love and respect within our school family. We believe in lifelong learning, aiming to equip our children to live life today and for tomorrow rooted in Christian love.
For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37)
What does music at our school look like?
As a school, we fully embrace the knowledge and skills set out in the National Curriculum. We strive to enable our children to be curious, independent learners who have a thirst for knowledge and aspire to become life-long learners.
Be Community Minded: children will appreciate the power of music to bring people together.
Colne is a small town with an increasingly diverse population. It is a town in which theatre and performance are key parts of the community, from the musicals performed at the Hippodrome theatre to the internationally-renowned Rhythm and Blues festival held each summer at venues around the town.
As a church school, we value music highly and in particular singing, as a way to bring our whole school community together – in worship and praise of God – and as a way of expressing ourselves.
We want children to recognise and appreciate the diversity of music, spanning generations of time and communities locally, nationally and across the world. Music brings people together through sadness and through joy; it expresses and stirs in us a whole raft of emotions, which we can express and share together.
Be empowered: children express their ideas and opinions about music and develop the skills to enable them to create their own.
In school, we focus on providing high-quality music education for all learners, recognising that our children are creative and unique individuals, made in the image of God.
We encourage the pupils to have their own ideas and opinions. We strive to provide them with the skills and knowledge to be able to speak out with confidence and understanding.
We value creativity and encourage a growth mindset, which we intend will empower the children to work to their full potential individually and collaboratively.
Be inspired: through listening to, appraising and performing the music of others, children are inspired to create their own.
Children are introduced to a wide range of music styles and artists, encouraging them to recognise and appreciate the diversity of our nation, past and present. We encourage the children to respond to music in different ways, through discussion, movement and improvisation.
We want our children to find appreciation in music and from this be inspired to create their own. We want them to be open-minded when introduced to new styles but to feel confident to express opinions and identify their individual preferences, leading to a life-long love of music.
Be inquisitive: children wonder about the motivations behind other people’s creation of music. They ask questions to identify the reasons for others children’s preferences.
Our children will be introduced to a wide variety of music genre and artists. They learn to ask questions, in order to find out more about the artist’s background and motivations. They wonder why particular stylistic choices were made and question whether or not they consider these to be effective.
Children apply previous knowledge to help them to compare and contrast pieces of music and music styles.
Be articulate: children clearly express their opinions about music.
As a school, we value what our children have to say and want them to have the confidence and skills to speak with conviction.
We encourage them to listen to others and to respectfully challenge any ideas they are unsure about. We aim to equip them with the vocabulary to do this. We want our children to work collaboratively, recognising the skills of each other and to share their ideas confidently, in order to support everyone to achieve their full potential.
Singing | ||||||
EYFS | YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 | YEAR 4 | YEAR 5 | YEAR 6 |
To sing along with a pre-recorded song and add actions.
To sing along with a backing track. | Learn about voices, singing notes of different pitches (high and low).
Learn that they can make different types of sounds with their voices – you can rap or say words in rhythm.
Learn to start and stop singing when following a leader. | Learn about voices singing notes of different pitches (high and low).
Learn that they can make different types of sounds with their voices – you can rap (spoken word with rhythm).
Learn to find a comfortable singing position.
Learn to start and stop singing when following a leader.
| To sing in unison and in simple two-parts.
To demonstrate a good singing posture.
To follow a leader when singing.
To enjoy exploring singing solo.
To sing with awareness of being ‘in tune’.
To have an awareness of the pulse internally when singing. | To sing in unison and in simple two-parts.
To demonstrate a good singing posture.
To follow a leader when singing.
To enjoy exploring singing solo.
To sing with awareness of being ‘in tune’.
To rejoin the song if lost.
To listen to the group when singing.
| To sing in unison and to sing backing vocals.
To enjoy exploring singing solo.
To listen to the group when singing.
To demonstrate a good singing posture.
To follow a leader when singing.
To experience rapping and solo singing.
To listen to each other and be aware of how you fit into the group.
To sing with awareness of being ‘in tune’ | To sing in unison and to sing backing vocals.
To demonstrate a good singing posture.
To follow a leader when singing.
To experience rapping and solo singing.
To listen to each other and be aware of how you fit into the group.
To sing with awareness of being ‘in tune’. |
Listening and Appraising | ||||||
EYFS | YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 | YEAR 4 | YEAR 5 | YEAR 6 |
To learn that music can touch your feelings.
To show enjoyment of music through movement, e.g. dancing, marching or role playing a character. | To show enjoyment of music through movement, e.g. dancing, marching or role playing a character.
| To show enjoyment of music through movement, e.g. dancing, marching or role playing a character.
To learn how songs can tell a story or describe an idea. | To confidently identify and move to the pulse.
To think about what the words of a song mean.
To take it in turn to discuss how the song makes them feel.
Listen carefully and respectfully to other people’s thoughts about the music | To confidently identify and move to the pulse.
To talk about the musical dimensions working together in the Unit songs eg if the song gets louder in the chorus (dynamics).
Talk about the music and how it makes them feel.
Listen carefully and respectfully to other people’s thoughts about the music. When they talk, try to use musical words. | To identify and move to the pulse with ease.
To think about the message of songs.
To compare two songs in the same style, talking about what stands out musically in each of them, their similarities and differences.
Listen carefully and respectfully to other people’s thoughts about the music.
When you talk try to use musical words.
To talk about the musical dimensions working together in the Unit songs.
Talk about the music and how it makes you feel.
| To identify and move to the pulse with ease.
To think about the message of songs.
To compare two songs in the same style, talking about what stands out musically in each of them, their similarities and differences.
Listen carefully and respectfully to other people’s thoughts about the music.
Use musical words when talking about the songs. To talk about the musical dimensions working together in the Unit songs.
Talk about the music and how it makes you feel, using musical language to describe the music. |
Composing | ||||||
EYFS | YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 | YEAR 4 | YEAR 5 | YEAR 6 |
| Help to create a simple melody using one, two or three notes.
Learn how the notes of the composition can be written down and changed if necessary. | Help create three simple melodies with the Units using one, three or five different notes.
Learn how the notes of the composition can be written down and changed if necessary. | Help create at least one simple melody using one, three or five different notes.
Plan and create a section of music that can be performed within the context of the unit song.
Talk about how it was created. Listen to and reflect upon the developing composition and make musical decisions about pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics and tempo.
Record the composition in any way appropriate that recognises the connection between sound and symbol (e.g. graphic/pictorial notation). | Help create at least one simple melody using one, three or five different notes.
Plan and create a section of music that can be performed within the context of the unit song.
Talk about how it was created.
Listen to and reflect upon the developing composition and make musical decisions about pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics and tempo. Record the composition in any way appropriate that recognises the connection between sound and symbol (e.g. graphic/pictorial notation). | Create simple melodies using up to five different notes and simple rhythms that work musically with the style of the Unit song.
Explain the keynote or home note and the structure of the melody.
Listen to and reflect upon the developing composition and make musical decisions about how the melody connects with the song.
Record the composition in any way appropriate that recognises the connection between sound and symbol (e.g. graphic/pictorial notation). | Create simple melodies using up to five different notes and simple rhythms that work musically with the style of the Unit song.
Explain the keynote or home note and the structure of the melody.
Listen to and reflect upon the developing composition and make musical decisions about how the melody connects with the song.
Record the composition in any way appropriate that recognises the connection between sound and symbol (e.g. graphic/pictorial notation). |
Performing | ||||||
EYFS | YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 | YEAR 4 | YEAR 5 | YEAR 6 |
Perform any of the nursery rhymes by singing and adding actions or dance.
Perform any nursery rhymes or songs adding a simple instrumental part.
Talk about a recorded version of a performance.
| Playing: Treat instruments carefully and with respect.
Play a tuned instrumental part with the song they perform.
Learn to play an instrumental part that matches their musical challenge, using one of the differentiated parts (a one-note part, a simple part, medium part).
Listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader.
Performance: Choose a song they have learnt from the Scheme and perform it.
They can add their ideas to the performance.
Record the performance and say how they were feeling about it. | Playing: Treat instruments carefully and with respect.
Learn to play a tuned instrumental part that matches their musical challenge, using one of the differentiated parts (a one-note, simple or medium part).
Play the part in time with the steady pulse.
Listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader.
Performance: Choose a song they have learnt from the Scheme and perform it.
They can add their ideas to the performance.
Record the performance and say how they were feeling about it.
| Playing: To treat instruments carefully and with respect.
Play any one, or all of four, differentiated parts on a tuned instrument – a one-note, simple or medium part or the melody of the song) from memory or using notation.
To rehearse and perform their part within the context of the Unit song.
To listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader.
Performance: To choose what to perform and create a programme.
To communicate the meaning of the words and clearly articulate them.
To talk about the best place to be when performing and how to stand or sit. To record the performance and say how they were feeling, what they were pleased with what they would change and why. | Playing: To treat instruments carefully and with respect.
Play any one, or all four, differentiated parts on a tuned instrument – a one-note, simple or medium part or the melody of the song from memory or using notation.
To rehearse and perform their part within the context of the Unit song.
To listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader.
To experience leading the playing by making sure everyone plays in the playing section of the song.
Performance: To choose what to perform and create a programme.
Present a musical performance designed to capture the audience. To communicate the meaning of the words and clearly articulate them.
To talk about the best place to be when performing and how to stand or sit.
To record the performance and say how they were feeling, what they were pleased with what they would change and why. | Playing: Play a musical instrument with the correct technique within the context of the Unit song.
Select and learn an instrumental part that matches their musical challenge, using one of the differentiated parts – a one-note, simple or medium part or the melody of the song from memory or using notation.
To rehearse and perform their part within the context of the Unit song.
To listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader. To lead a rehearsal session
Performing: To choose what to perform and create a programme.
To communicate the meaning of the words and clearly articulate them. To talk about the venue and how to use it to best effect.
To record the performance and compare it to a previous performance.
To discuss and talk musically about it – “What went well?” and “It would have been even better if...?” | Playing: Play a musical instrument with the correct technique within the context of the Unit song.
Select and learn an instrumental part that matches their musical challenge, using one of the differentiated parts – a one-note, simple or medium part or the melody of the song from memory or using notation.
To rehearse and perform their part within the context of the Unit song.
To listen to and follow musical instructions from a leader. To lead a rehearsal session.
Performing: To choose what to perform and create a programme. To communicate the meaning of the words and clearly articulate them.
To talk about the venue and how to use it to best effect. To record the performance and compare it to a previous performance.
To discuss and talk musically about it – “What went well?” and “It would have been even better if...?” |
