Music curriculum vision and aims

Music is a foundation subject within the national curriculum. This policy outlines the purpose, nature and management of the teaching and learning of music in our school. The policy reflects the consensus of the teaching staff and full agreement of the governing body.

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talents as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination the best in the musical canon. (National Curriculum Purpose of Study)

At Millbrook we are committed to ensuring the effective delivery of a music curriculum that is accessible to all our children. Music is a practical, creative subject, which should enhance the lives and learning of all children. Music is a unique way of communicating that can inspire and motivate children. It gives an opportunity for personal expression, and it can play an important part in the personal development of an individual. Music reflects our culture and society and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world they live in. Our aim is to promote enthusiasm for and enjoyment of music in all its forms and also to develop musical skills and knowledge. By engaging children in musical experiences, we can offer our children opportunities to develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other areas as well as developing life skills such as listening skills, the ability to concentrate, creativity, self-confidence, and a sensitivity towards others.

Aims of the Music Curriculum

To encourage awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of Music in all its forms.

To develop imagination and creativity.

To help children of all abilities develop positive attitudes and to experience success and satisfaction in Music.

To offer opportunities to perform, compose, listen and appraise.

Performing skills: Children will be taught to sing a wide ranging variety of songs and to use their voices expressively. They should have the opportunity to play tuned and untuned instruments with increasing control and should rehearse and perform with others, with an awareness of audience.

Composing skills: Children will create musical patterns and will be shown how to explore, select and organise musical ideas, recording these in a variety of ways, (e.g.: pictorial score, by means of a tape recorder or video or using notation)

Appraising skills: Children will be given the opportunity to explore and explain their own ideas and feelings about music, using music, dance, expressive language and musical vocabulary. They will analyse and compare sounds and will become confident at suggesting improvements for their own work and that of others.

Listening and applying knowledge and understanding: Children should be able to listen with concentration and to internalise and recall sounds with increasing aural memory. They will develop a growing awareness of the eight musical elements : pitch, duration, pace, dynamics, texture, timbre, form, silence. They will learn that time and place can influence the way music is created, performed and heard, that music is produced in different ways and is described through invented and standard notations.

Music Coordinator: Mrs Davis 

Music Long Term Plan

Music Curriculum

Subject Characters

Choir