Music

Intent

Using the ‘Charanga Music Scheme’ as a source, we follow a three part approach to each music session – listen and appraise, musical activities, perform and share.

The intention is that children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.

The progression of skills shows that children use their prior learning to develop further, whether that be in their ability to listen and appraise different genres of music, or whether they are able to compose and perform more complex rhythms and melodies.

Implementation

All teachers have received relevant in-house training to ensure that they have good subject knowledge – especially regarding the use of the Charanga Scheme.

Assessment is ongoing during music lessons, through questioning and continuous observations.

The modelled use of musical vocabulary alongside child-friendly topics provides a context to learning which helps the children to make links in their learning. This then helps the children to talk about the skills they have learnt. They are also given opportunities to perform what they have learned.

Music lessons are taught discreetly, however, the skills that the children have learned are transferable throughout the wider curriculum. Children are given opportunities to use their musical knowledge and skills to perform within celebration assemblies, school productions and other whole school topics.

Impact

Children’s progress is assessed through questioning and quality evidence recorded by the teacher.

Children’s work is not recorded in a book, but instead is more practical. Teachers use the evidence to make informed judgements against Charanga's music assessment criteria.