Music

Intent

Our intent is to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to:-

play with and experience music and drama within the environment.
perform, listen to, review and evaluate music/drama performances across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of great composers and musicians.
sing and use their voices, to perform in school productions.
create and compose music on their own and with others.
learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical, as well as dramatic performance excellence.
understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama.
adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role.
improvise, devise and script drama for one another and a range of audiences.
rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama and theatre performances.

Implementation

Our curriculum matches the intention by giving sufficient time to music and drama performance to enable pupils to meet the expectations set out in the National curriculum programme of study through the use of Charanga. This promotes progression by providing a clear and comprehensive scheme of work. Music planning is appropriate for the needs of our children; it challenges them and builds on previous learning. To further enhance musicianship, drama performance and creativity, children take part in singing assemblies, music and drama clubs, concert and performance experiences, visiting workshops and informal visits throughout the year. Professional musicians work with appropriate year groups termly. Children are given the opportunity to learn an instrument from peripatetic musicians to widen their understanding of musical structures and instruments.

The children progress their skills in drama in line with national curriculum objectives outlined in the English strands including speaking and listening and performance poetry. Music and drama are used to support the wider curriculum to improve listening skills, stimulate the imagination and creativity, focus the mind, improve self- confidence, aid memory, encourage collaborative learning and challenge viewpoints.

Our curriculum, links appropriately selected musicians, playwrights and producers from the United Kingdom, our local area and many other parts of the world. Differentiation is supported through the complexity of musical instruments; adjusting teaching to suit different abilities; using content, material and time spent as well as differentiating instructions. This may be through presenting more complex musical principles in different ways or through hearing or visual prompts. Drama is differentiated through aptitude of speaking and listening; delivering parts appropriate to their developmental need; confidence and their engagement in a topic.

Specific to EYFS, children will learn the skills outlined through play scenarios, repetitions of nursery rhymes and role play areas in continued provision and access to musical instruments within the environment.

Impact

Music and drama performance, subject knowledge and skills are consolidated by using a well-planned scheme which builds upon previous understanding and ability and skill sets. These are revisited frequently by successive year groups to ensure children maintain gradual progression.
Music and drama performance gives children the opportunity to gain a sense of achievement.
Children use their skills in cross curricular subjects to become self- aware, self-confident, collaborative learners. These skills allow them to become educated citizens with a well-rounded understanding of culture and history, which relates to students individually as well as societies across the world.
In EYFS, children’s learning is supported by listening and appraising, creating sound effects with toys and forming opinions on genres of music and performance.
By using assessment, questionnaires and surveys (by pupils and staff) and by talking to children, the quality of lessons and confidence in the teaching of music improves and as a result the enjoyment and positive outcomes increase.