Intent of our Music Curriculum
The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all children:
- perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
- be taught to sing, create and compose music
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated
At Bicton C.E. Primary School, children gain a firm understanding of what music is, through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music. We also ensure 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.
Implementation of our Music Curriculum
Our music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom through the structured music programme Music Express, as well as weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances throughout the year and individual / whole class music lessons and teaching from specialist music teachers, including ocarina/folk whistle in Key Stage 1 and recorder/dood in Key Stage 2. 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. 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.
Impact of our Music Curriculum
Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows them 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 child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as a 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.
Bicton Music Long Term Curriculum and Whole Class plan (3)
Please see our Music Development Plan:
Bicton Primary School – Music Development Plan 2024 (2)