Music Curriculum Intent

Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. In our schools, music can bring communities together through the shared endeavour of whole school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school.

(The Model Music Curriculum 2021)

Music teaching at Abbey Primary School delivers above and beyond the specifications of the National Curriculum. Every lesson aims to engage children in music making; through singing, playing instruments, movement, as well as the incorporation of technology. Our pupils learn through a bespoke curriculum, designed to ensure the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and disciplines, all underpinned by time to consolidate and practise. Lessons favour a fun and active approach that fosters a joy of music, whilst the Kodály approach progressively builds musical literacy.

At Abbey Primary School, we believe that music plays a crucial role in helping children to feel connected to others as part of a community, therefore we seek opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music beyond the classroom. Through assemblies, year group and key stage performances, children showcase their developing talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others - to audiences both in and out of school. Lessons with our specialist music teacher, as well as their class teacher, enable children to develop and practise their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.

At Abbey Primary School Music is all around us.

Our Music curriculum develops pupils who:

• Believe in their own ability, drawing upon the innate musicality that is in every child
• Enjoy and have an appreciation for music
• Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, cultures, styles and traditions
• Can sing and use their voices to create different effects
• Create and compose music, both on their own and with others
• Use a range of musical language
• Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music
• Take part in performances showing an awareness of audience