Music
At Corinthian we have high ambitions to develop within our children a love of music. We want them to know that the sky is the limit and they can work hard and achieve their creative and musical ambitions. We want them to embody our core value of reaching their full potential. The music curriculum has been carefully crafted so that our children develop their musical capital. We want our children to fondly remember their music lessons and embrace the musical opportunities they are presented with.
Our music curriculum aims to engage, inspire our children and to allow them to explore a wide range of musical genres, using tuned and untuned instruments. We want to encourage our children to appreciate the diverse musical styles from all around the world.
Intent
The music curriculum promotes curiosity and a love and thirst for learning. It is ambitious and empowers our children to become independent and resilient – like all curriculum areas.
We want to equip them with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the music National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life for example, performing at Christmas, assemblies, sports days and other events throughout the year. Christmas is a highlight of the year as it gives the whole school an opportunity to perform and sing whilst accompanied with instruments. We are committed to putting music on the map here at Corinthian Community Primary School.
We want our children to use the vibrancy of our great city. An example of our musical capital is shown in Year 1 when children learn about the Beatles and their impact upon musical culture. As part of this study they visit the Beatles Museum, ensuring all children have opportunities to appreciate our city’s musical heritage.
We achieve these standards by providing a strong SMSC curriculum, with British Values and our core values placed at the heart of everything we do. This often feeds into the music curriculum. For example, at the Community Summer Fair, the children all perform a song using BSL, this encourages awareness of diverse needs whilst learning a different way of communication.
We firmly believe that it is not just about what happens in the classroom, it is about the added value we offer to really inspire our children.
Implementation
We use the Charanga Musical School scheme – which provides our teachers with week-by-week lessons for each year group in the school from ages 5-11. This scheme provides lesson plans, assessment, clear progression, and engaging and exciting whiteboard resources for every lesson. Our music scheme is based on: Listening and Appraising; Musical Activities – creating and exploring; and Singing and Performing
The award-winning music scheme Charanga has been carefully chosen in order to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to cover the music national curriculum whilst at Firs. Charanga gives staff high quality planning to follow as well as a list of key vocabulary for each Key Stage and a set of interactive resources available on the whiteboard, therefore ensuring that both musicians and non-musicians have the confidence, professional knowledge and tools to deliver exciting and progressive music lessons. Charanga is a flexible scheme which allows staff to differentiate where appropriate for all needs and its specific SEND curriculum allows for more personalised teaching where necessary. At first we have adapted the Charanga scheme to suit the needs of our children. The scheme has been carefully adapted for all year groups (EYFS, KS1 & KS2) to ensure that, as children progress through school, they develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose and to listen without discrimination to a wide range of high quality pieces of music from different eras, cultures and genres.
All children have a weekly class music lesson which is taught by a music specialist to ensure music lessons are of the highest quality.
Impact
Music enables children to 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 listener, creator or performer. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. At Corinthian, children are provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include having visitors with a musical talent, visiting concerts and school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience. Children have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.
We enrich their time in our school with memorable, unforgettable experiences and provide opportunities which are normally out of reach – this piques their interests and passions. For example, a group of children went to Liverpool’s Eurovision village to be part of the chorus and we also visited care homes at Christmas to sing to the residents.