Music
Leader - Miss Mahoney
Intent
At St Joseph’s we make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage all children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up their love of music, self- confidence and sense of achievement. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to, sing in tune and with other people, play tuned and untuned musical instruments with increasing control, fluency and expression and listen critically to a wide range of music from different periods, genres, styles and traditions. As children progress through the school they will increasingly understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated through the interrelated dimensions of music: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and musical notation. When children leave St Joseph’s, we hope that, through music, they will have developed a sense of curiosity and creativity through which they can explore and learn. We want our music lessons to inspire children and give them a creative outlet.
Implementation
Music is taught in Reception class as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. In the Early Years, music contributes to a child’s development in the area of expressive arts and design.
Key stage 1 children are taught music by their class teacher largely in 3 half termly blocks although some aspects of music learning are ongoing throughout the year. We use Charanga (an online resource) to support our music teaching as it is a very clear and comprehensive scheme of work which covers all the national curriculum requirements in a full and progressive way. Instrumental learning is taught explicitly and progressively using the charanga units of work.
Years 3 and 4 receive whole class ensemble teaching and vocal lessons on a weekly basis through the Bradford Music and Arts Service. They are able to build on their musical knowledge through a comprehensive scheme of work which covers all the national curriculum requirements over a two-year programme. This year they are learning how to play the ukulele.
Years 5 and 6 also receive weekly singing sessions as part of the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme.
Children throughout the school sing on a daily basis in assemblies and during collective worship times. We have regular singing practise and use a range of materials to support this for example Fischy music. Singing plays a prominent part in all school productions at Christmas, Easter and at the End of the School year as well as Masses and Liturgies.
Impact
The impact of the Music curriculum can be seen through how the children are engaged and excited by our music curriculum. The skills that they are taught equip them with a range of skills to enable them to appreciate music throughout their lives. Children are able to become confident performers, composers and listeners, who are able to express themselves musically.
Music National Curriculum
The National Curriculum for England, July 2013 states, 'Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. 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.'
Aims
The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
- perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
- learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Long Term Plan
Music is taught weekly in every year group. We follow the Charanga Model Music Curriculum (MMC) scheme of work. The overview can be accessed here Scheme of work overview
The Charanga Scheme of Work can be accessed via the following link https://www.bradfordmusiconline.co.uk/scheme
The learning outcomes and areas of curriculum coverage per year group can be accessed per class below:
Progression With Outcomes Year 1
Progression With Outcomes Year 2
Year 3 and 4 scheme of work can be accessed via the following links -
Diocesan Music
Years 5 and 6 receive weekly singing sessions as part of the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme. These are delivered by an expert Choral Director from the Diocese, focusing on positive engagement with singing and supporting the Catholic life of the school through sacred music. The sessions offer practical and incremental coverage of areas of the music curriculum – including notation – in a two-year curriculum framework developed by the Diocese, the National Schools Singing Programme and the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Pupils also have the opportunity to join one of the Diocese’s acclaimed after-school choirs. You can find online resources that support this work on the Schools Singing Programme’s YouTube channel (www.schoolssingingprogramme.org.uk). Our local Diocese choir is Bradford Catholic Youth Choir – please contact office@dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk for more information about joining.
The standard of teaching and the singing resulting from this is fantastic! We would strongly encourage children in KS2 to avail of free the after school choir!
Music Tuition
There are opportunities to learn how to play a musical instrument from Year One upwards. We currently offer individual or small group lessons in guitar and keyboard, but there are a variety of other instruments and disciplines available upon request, subject to resourcing/staffing. There is a charge for these lessons as they are in addition to our music curriculum that is provided in school and they are entirely optional. The Bradford Music and Arts service provide the teaching and can, if you wish, help with hiring instruments. You can find out further details about the scheme at http://www.bradfordmusiconline.co.uk/site/parent-zone/small-groups-individual-lessons/. Please also see our 'music tuition' page under the 'Extra curricular classes' tab.
Why learn an instrument?
As well as being great fun, research shows that learning a musical instrument supports children in lots of ways:
- Speech
- Numeracy
- Literacy
- Social Skills
- Self Expression
- Self Confidence
The music dept have also added some demonstration videos to their website. You may wish to follow the link to get a sneak preview! https://www.bradfordmusiconline.co.uk/site/music-lessons/demonstration-videos/
Bradford Music Hub
There is a wealth of information, provision and exciting opportunities to develop children's love of music and musicality on Bradford's Music hub website: http://www.bradfordmusiconline.co.uk/site/. Information about tuition, proms, ensembles, what's on, festivals etc can all be found here. Why don't you have a look and see what's going on in Bradford?