Music

Intent

At Willow Primary School, we believe that music can give children the opportunity to express some of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of music (including song). As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of music. 

The teaching of music is supported by the Charanga scheme of work as well as linking where appropriate into the topics that children are learning about throughout the year. Children have the opportunity to enjoy musical experiences through listening, singing, movement and dance and by playing a variety of musical instruments, including percussion instruments and recognising how the voice is an instrument that we all have.

We have specialist music teachers who work with children in Year 4 to teach new music skills and give pupils the best opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in this area of the curriculum. They are are currently working with the Wider Opportunities team learning the Ukulele.

Peripatetic teachers come in each week to teach children from years 4 to 6 guitar, violin, flute or clarinet.  

In Foundation Stage children will:

• Begin to build a repertoire of songs and dances.
• Explore the different sounds of instruments.
• To achieve the Early Learning Goal Being Imaginative and Expressive:
• Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs
• Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time with music.

In Key Stage One children will:

• Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes  
• Play tuned and un-tuned instruments musically  
• Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music  
• Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music. 

In Key Stage Two children will:

• Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression  
• Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music  
• Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory  
• Use and understand staff and other musical notations  
• Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians  
• Demonstrate a developing understanding of the history of music

Implementation

Enrichment

Children at Willow Primary School have the opportunity to take part in a variety of enrichment experiences. This year, this will include:

Year 3 taking part in Percussion Workshops and joining other schools in the Doncaster Music Services Sing Out! musical celebration for which they have again, composed one of the songs. https://thepoint.org.uk/sing-out-this/ Here is last years song that year 3 composed Sing, Sing, Sing Out

Year 4 have fortnightly Ukulele lessons with a teacher from Doncaster Music Service.

Year 5 and 6 have had their visit to Sheffield Arena postponed but are actively looking forward to taking part in Young Voices during the summer term.