Music Curriculum Overview

Intent: Why Do We Teach This?

Our music curriculum at Plaistow Hill Primary & Nursery School aims to enrich children's experiences and creativity through various musical styles, singing, and instrumental play.

Here's why we teach what we teach:

• Enriching Lives: Music is a practical, creative subject that enhances children's lives and learning experiences.
• Communication and Inspiration: It uniquely communicates, inspires, and motivates children, fostering personal expression and development.
• Cultural Understanding: Music reflects culture and society, promoting better understanding of the world.
• Skills and Attributes: Develops skills such as listening, concentration, creativity, and self-confidence, enhancing overall learning and life skills.
• Enjoyment and Appreciation: Promotes enthusiasm and enjoyment across diverse musical forms, nurturing musical skills and knowledge.
• Kapow Scheme: Utilises the Kapow scheme to cover a wide range of musical styles and genres, ensuring comprehensive musical development.

Implementation: What Do We Teach and When?

Our approach to teaching music integrates it as a standalone subject and within other areas of the curriculum:

• Curriculum Structure: Music is taught weekly, with additional opportunities like singing assemblies and lunchtime singing clubs.
• Kapow Framework: Structured progression plan within and across years ensures consistent musical development aligned with National Curriculum aims.
• Active Learning: Engages children through active listening, performing, and composing activities, exploring music styles and genres.
• Inclusive Participation: Encourages active involvement using singing, body percussion, and classroom instruments to create and express music.

Core Aims for All Pupils

The Kapow Music scheme aims to achieve the following:

• Holistic Development: Fosters enjoyment, creativity, and confidence in using and appreciating music.
• Skill Acquisition: Develops singing, composing, performing, and technological skills relevant to music.
• Musical Understanding: Explores how music is created, produced, and communicated through various dimensions and notations.

Impact

Measuring Progress

Assessment in Music focuses on:

• Proficiency: Ensures children achieve high proficiency across all aspects of music by the end of each key stage.
• Practical Assessment: Observes, discusses, and evaluates children's work through performances, compositions, and self/group/teacher evaluations.
• Differentiation: Provides age-appropriate challenges aligned with National Curriculum expectations, fostering continuous improvement.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly monitors curriculum impact through internal and external evaluations, including feedback from pupils and staff.

By embedding music into our curriculum, we empower children to excel creatively and develop a lifelong appreciation for music in its various forms and expressions.