Music
Intent – Why do we teach what we teach?
Music is a universal mode of human expression, which encompasses the full spectrum of the human condition- from the loftiest artistic ideals to our own everyday experiences. Created by all cultures throughout our history, music has a unique ability to unite us socially and, crucially, it provides a unique perspective from which to understand and accept each other.
In the primary phase at Harris Academy Chobham, we are committed to building a musical community where every child belongs. By embracing music throughout the school, both in and out of our specialist sessions, we hope to build individual and collective confidence, broaden the minds of our children, and create a stimulating environment in which our children love to learn.
Our vision is that every classroom at Chobham is also a musical ensemble giving every child the experience of singing, playing, creating, performing and enjoying music together.
To achieve this, our curriculum is underpinned by a rigorous musicianship programme. This involves carefully sequenced procedural knowledge through which children can master subject-specific skills such as sight and rhythm reading, instrumental technique, developing aural skills, improvisation, and composition.
Implementation – How do we teach what we teach?
In EYFS, Music is embedded into the delivery of the statutory framework and songs are taught explicitly as part of the ‘expressive arts and design’ strand of Development Matters. In Key stages 1 and 2, all children have one timetabled session of music per week with a music specialist.
We teach a spiral curriculum which consistently builds on and extends prior knowledge. Repertoire has been carefully chosen to increase in challenge year on year. Where appropriate repertoire was not available, it has been composed specifically to meet the needs of the curriculum. Procedural Knowledge is broken down into four categories comprising VIBE (Voice Instrument Body Ears) across our curriculum.
Voice
Singing is fundamental to our music programme from EYFS through to Year 6. Through challenging and stimulating repertoire carefully selected for our students, children experience a wide range of styles, traditions, and historical periods from across the world. The voice is also fundamental to how we explore reading (through moveable Solfege) and composition.
Instrument
Following our band approach, pupils are exposed to playing a range of instruments. All children learn to read the notes of the treble clef, opening the potential to further instrumental study outside of school.
Body
We systematically build children’s knowledge of rhythm, which we teach primarily through movement and coordination, with children becoming progressively more familiar with rhythmic notation in Key Stage 2.
Ears
We develop children’s musical ear with a focus on transcription (writing out the sounds we hear) musical games, regular exercises and improvisation.
In the autumn term, there is a focus on creating a whole class ensemble performance featuring a range of instruments, with age-appropriate parts of a graded level of difficulty- increasing in challenge year on year. During the spring term, each year group studies a musical theme, for example spirituals and call and response technique in year 3 and understanding chord sequences in year 6. This term gives pupils the opportunity to build a shared musical vocabulary and develop an understanding of a musical concept or technique across a range of genres and historical periods. The procedural and substantive acquired in the autumn term is then applied in the summer term to a composition project which follows a whole-school theme that changes each year. This enables further opportunity for the pupils to feel united in a musical community.
Impact - How do we know what pupils have learnt and how well they have learnt it?
Pupils in the primary phase at Harris Academy Chobham are multi skilled musicians who can sing, read and play music and create their own original compositions together. They have a common vocabulary which enables them to discuss and analyse music and a growing familiarity with a variety of styles and genres. They know how to apply these to their own work. They can name musicians, genres and styles from around the world.
Video and audio recordings are used for both formative assessment. Planning is adapted to suit the needs of pupils based on teacher observations in class and when marking these recordings. Termly performances provide assessment opportunities as well as also helping to foster a culture of musical pride and accomplishment in our school and share this with the wider community. Pupils’ ability to know more and remember more is also assessed through end of unit quizzes. This data is used to ensure each student is challenged, given appropriate support or opportunities in (or outside of) lessons.
Every year, the work done in our composition lessons feeds into a whole school composition project led by a student song writing team further helping children see themselves as creative individuals with something important to say and a voice with which to say it.
