Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon. (The National Curriculum)
At English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School, we recognise the importance of music and that it is a universal language. The school thereby follows the guidance of the National Curriculum when teaching music to our children. We offer a differentiated curriculum (with our children in mind) to help develop the children’s knowledge and skills. Children progress by singing in assemblies, key stage performances and plays for Christmas and Easter. Being a Catholic school, children are also taught Christian songs to sing in church too. This helps children to feel part of a larger community as they hone their individual skills to sing in public. By developing children’s skills and by teaching different musical genres to our children they then appreciate different types of music from around the world.
The aims of our Music curriculum are for our children to:
English Martyrs’ delivers the requirements of teaching music of the National curriculum through the Modal curriculum. This is taught by a specialist music teacher in year groups. The curriculum is broken down into half- termly units. Emphasis is given to music vocabulary which is revisited every lesson, so children can remember and build upon as they progress through the academic year. This helps children to critique and evaluate music using technical language.
Children are taught a musical focus for each lesson which follows a specific learning structure.
For the EYFS setting, music is a fundamental part of a child’s learning journey. Music is used to help children learn phonics through rhythm and rhyme. Children also learn different songs and nursery rhymes to enrich their listening and language skills. By practising songs and singing together the children develop their performance skills. Children use singing to help them access learning. This starts to embed in children a love of music from an early age.
In year three, children are taught by a coral master from Southwark Cathedral. These lessons develop children’s singing and performing skills. Children perform what they have learnt in a mass at English Martyrs’ RC church at the end of the academic year. This gives children the opportunity to improve their cultural capital.
Children are given many opportunities to perform at English Martyrs’. In EYFS, KS1 and KS2 children perform the Nativity every Christmas. Easter performances are performed by KS2 children (years 3-5). There is also an end of year performance for year 6 to celebrate their time at English Martyrs’.
The school’s music curriculum is planned to build on progression of skills and to secure new skills. We show progress by embedding musical vocabulary to support children’s learning. Children who access musical skills and knowledge within lessons along with new vocabulary taught are showing that they are making good to better progress.
The music curriculum is measured by the following methods:
The impact of our Music curriculum is also is also demonstrated when children sing and perform in class assemblies, school nativity and during the celebration of the mass and other services in school or the parish church.
Please look at the following websites to introduce the world of music to your children.
Home | Royal Academy of Music (ram.ac.uk)
listen to Opera for free: https://learning-platform.roh.org.uk/create-and-learn/
A fantastic learning platform by the Royal Opera House. Create your own account and watch ballet and listen to Opera for free. There are also ideas to be creative at home.
BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/z9xhfg8
A fantastic website that supports children’s learning. This website has clips to inform your child on tempo and pitch as well as songs to sing along to. You can also explore different genres of music to impress your friends.
Classic FM: https://www.classicfm.com/
This fabulous radio station is free to listen to online or by your normal radio. Enjoy the great sounds of the orchestra and many other instruments from different eras.
Blob chorus game: https://www.echalk.co.uk/music/training/blobChorus/blobChorus.html
Great game to get your child really listening! Three blobs sing different notes then the King blob sings- click on which blob sang the same note as the King blob. Disaster will strike if your answer is wrong! If your child finds the initial level too easy then they can increase the number of blobs in their blob chorus.
BBC Bitesize – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zwxhfg8
BBC Bitesize – cartoons about music basics and school choir rehearsals to join in with.
Making Instruments – https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise/found-sounds/z7k847h
Making Instruments at Home.
We have been learning some new hymns to sing in church. We are enjoying singing a mixture of traditional British hymns and some more modern worship music. When we go to Mass, members of the congregation and the priests tell us how much they enjoy our singing. There are also opportunities for children to be involved in music in the local area which are available through Southwark. Please see http://www.southwarkmusicservice.org.uk/ for more information.
