Our school provides opportunities for developing children’s ability to listen, compose, appreciate and perform accurately a wide range of music using voice and instruments, through a programme of planned music lessons and clubs. We have a weekly singing/music assembly and are very proud of our choir and musicians.

Every child will have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument and the school invests in a Musician in Residence to deliver whole class instrumental tuition, individual instrument lessons (keyboard, guitar and violin available), music assemblies and after-school club. Choristers and musicians have opportunities to perform to audiences at our assemblies and church services. Because of all this, we are proud holders of the 2021 Music Mark for Schools.

The main aims of the music curriculum are to ensure children:

·         perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians

·         learn to sing and to use their voices to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical 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.

Children are taught skills via four major musical strands :-

1. Performing Skills - controlling sounds through singing and playing
2. Composing Skills - creating and developing musical ideas
3. Appraising Skills - responding and reviewing
4. Listening Skills - listening to a variety of music and applying knowledge and understanding

Performing Arts

We put on a whole-school production every Christmas with every child in the school playing a part, acting, singing or backstage. Year 6 students also produce a play at the end of the summer term which is shared with parents and carers. This alternates with the London residential where they watch a West End show. There has been a performing arts club which has performed on stage in a real theatre to a real audience of the general public. We have a long-standing and successful choir, led by an experienced singing leader, which performs to local villagers, parents, in church and on stage at the Norfolk & Norwich music festival. The school has an outdoor stage to encourage creativity in performing arts and our specialist staff are qualified to Level 4 in PE and Level 6 in dance.

Intent

We want our children to leave the Belfry CEVA Primary School remembering that Music is an enjoyable learning experience. They will have had the opportunity to learn and play a range of instruments, as well as building their confidence whilst performing in front of their peers and a wider audience. Music is a form of expression that is celebrated throughout the world and our children are inspired to develop a love of music and to develop their talents as a musician, therefore increasing their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

Implementation

Our Music curriculum has been designed to cover the objectives in the National Curriculum Framework; the children learn to play an instrument, developing the skills of performing, listening, reviewing and evaluating music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. Children are taught to understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, with lessons focusing on pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

In addition to these opportunities, the music curriculum is further promoted and enhanced through annual productions and the Belfry’s Got Talent show!

Impact

Music assessment is ongoing throughout the curriculum themes and summative assessment is made against the Learning Objectives. But above all – we want the pupils to enjoy themselves!