INTENT
At Milton Mount, we want to maximise every child’s musical potential with an ambitious curriculum which provides them with engaging, immersive and exciting experiences and opportunities to listen, sing, perform and appraise music. We want our children to develop into and feel like confident, successful musicians; as performers through singing and playing a variety of instruments, as composers of their own pieces and as active listeners to both live and recorded music, introducing and exposing them to music of varying genres, styles and cultures from the past, present and around the world. Music increases children’s listening and concentration skills (both in terms of oracy and communication), their creativity and decision-making abilities, as individuals and when working with others. They are continually encouraged to be reflective, exercise patience and determination and to have the feeling of success. This success is measured through a ‘practise makes progress’ approach and with the use of repetition to embed and consolidate skills and knowledge; children are successful as they can do what they do, at their ability, well and with pride. Whilst developing the core skills, knowledge and understanding of the curriculum is paramount for learning, instilling a life-long love, enthusiasm and appreciation of and for music is of just as much importance.
Do More
Through the 4 key areas of musicianship – singing, listening, composing and performing – the children are active and engaged learners throughout each lesson, bettering themselves as they make progress from their starting points, helping them to increasingly meet their potential and expectations. The playing of musical instruments is used as the vehicle to learning the relevant skills and knowledge for their year group, alongside the enjoyment of playing different instruments; the hope is then that children take their learning and passion further into external musical tuition.
Know More
Children learn about the interrelated dimensions of music (pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure) and musical notations through the carefully structured curriculum, which builds upon prior learning and deepens understanding when revisited. Reference is made to working wall displays to assist in recalling learning, too.
Remember More
Musical vocabulary is taught with Makaton signs to help all children access this learning, not just those with SEND. Prior knowledge is build upon through the use of repetition in terms of skills and knowledge, through the vocabulary discussed and the tasks being completed – a ‘practise makes progress’ approach. Lessons reference what has come before, including Sticky Starters, helping children to make connections with their learning.
Experience More
Each lesson, the children experience a variety of music through listening, singing and playing in the lessons, whilst developing their oracy and social skills, too. They have the opportunity for hands-on practical experiences of music from within their own lives, but within the local, wider and global community. The children then perform their work or songs within the school community. Visiting musicians and arts companies are invited in each year to share their talents and often leave the children in awe! Extra-Curricular opportunities are readily available with our KS2 Choir who regularly perform in the local area, as part of the Greensand Trust and further afield at The O2 in London as part of Young Voices. We also work alongside West Sussex Music to organise peripatetic teaching with individual or small-group lessons.
Consider More
The curriculum gives children many opportunities for choice with their learning, when listening and composing, often reasoning and justifying these choices both in terms of their learning and with their personal views. The children are encouraged to make links and question or respectfully challenge themselves and each other, continually reflecting on the music heard, played or composed.
IMPLEMENTATION
The current Music Curriculum has been written in line with the DfE’s Model Music Curriculum (Spring 2021). The 4 key areas of musicianship are interwoven within the curriculum, alongside the explicit teaching of the interrelated dimensions of music and appropriate musical notations. Lessons are taught during weekly PPA-Time; the EYFS Team teach using short, active inputs and our specialist Music Teacher (who wrote the curriculum) delivers lessons in KS1 & KS2.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Music Curriculum is based on 4 areas of Musical Development: Hearing and Listening, Vocalising & Singing, Moving & Dancing and Exploring & Playing. Teaching and opportunities for exploration of musical experiences are woven into their curriculum, based on their termly topics and following children’s interests. In line with Development Matter and the Early Learning Goals, children are encouraged to develop their communication and physical skills, alongside being expressive and imaginative through singing, performing and music making.
KS1 and KS2 - Structure of a Lesson
Listening
Lessons begin with a listening time activity. The children listen to a piece of music and discuss the piece with a Talk Partner, before sharing with the class. Key Questions are asked each week: What does it make you think of? How does it make you feel? What musical vocabulary can you use to describe the music? What instruments do you recognise and what family are they from? Then there are more specific questions for the piece, based on the year group and their understanding of the inter-related dimensions of music. From the start of the academic year, the pieces are played in chronological order from when they were written/released so the children can experience the evolution of music throughout history – helping with both their appreciation and evaluation skills. The final selection of musical pieces they listen to in the academic year are ones which represent different cultures, countries, traditions and styles, exposing children to a wide variety of sounds.
Singing
In KS1, the songs children sing are simple, with melodies to match their smaller vocal range. During Autumn 2, the singing focus is their Christmas Production. In KS2, songs are chosen to match their topics – with a focus mainly on History or Geography, to help the subject ‘come alive’ or to teach into some subject content. Challenge is development through the use of harmonies and 2- & 3- parts.
Main
Lessons then begin with a ‘Sticky Starter’ recap of previous learning, with the use of Makaton signs to help consolidate and embed vocabulary, then a recap of the current unit, briefly going over what has happened so far and where the learning is leading to – our end points. Depending on what part of the learning journey they are on will dictate how the lesson will then continue. Tasks are always modelled to the children, often using a ‘My Turn, Your Turn’ and WAGOLLs (What A Good One Looks Like). Links are always made to what they have done previously, with the use of Makaton. Children quite often work with a partner or in a small group, as well as individually. Children build on their prior learning and have the opportunity to practice and better themselves, consolidating, embedding and improving with their composition or performance. Getting the children active and moving is important and included where appropriate in KS1. Our lessons often end in a short reflection, using tools such as WWW/EBI (What Went Well/Even Better If).
IMPACT
Our curriculum goals are to nurture a love and enthusiasm for Music alongside children making good progression of knowledge and skills, building on prior learning, in order to meet the National Curriculum expectations. We encourage our children to become confident musicians, reflective listeners, creative composers and resilient, motivated learners whilst appreciating a range of music and responding appropriately and with their own preferences. The children perform at the end of each unit, be it their own composition or songs and pieces that they have rehearsed, and are exposed to music where they can gain an understanding of different cultures and traditions.