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Music

‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.’

Plato

Intent

To facilitate the personal and musical development of all pupils. Children are provided with a wide variety of opportunities to become confident musicians, through diverse, high quality, challenging, musical experiences that enable them to better understand the world they live in. Through this curriculum we aim to provide all the children with the educational, social and cultural capital to which they are entitled.

Music forms a focus for the whole school through children’s shared experiences of the largely practical curriculum. The children are supportive of each other’s development in the seven key areas as evidenced by their enthusiasm to take part in classroom and whole-school events. Parents are supportive and appreciative of the opportunities afforded to their children, attending performances in large numbers, contributing generously to the Music fund (Music is self-funding, raising in ordinary times, around £1,000 a year which has been spent on the equipping of the Music Room). The school runs a Choir, Orchestra and Recorder Group which are attended collectively by around 80 children each week. Around 120 children currently take private instrumental lessons weekly and can choose between piano, all strings, brass and woodwind, and all rock band instruments. A dedicated team of peripatetic teachers deliver this programme and liaise closely with the school to ensure the best outcomes for the children they teach.

The children are exposed to a wide range of music from different parts of the world and from different periods in history over the last 1000 years. Music is a valuable tool for exploring other cultures but also for rooting children in their own culture and location and creating a sense of belonging. In many ways the music we listen to and create forms a shared culture for the children to take forward and confidently build on in their lives.

Joy is a vital aspect of music teaching and learning. Music occupies a unique position in human culture; its purposes, forms, and uses infinite, but characterised by enjoyment and participation. To this end, children are always welcome to bring their own musical experiences to lessons and need to feel that their own music from outside school is valued.

Children and parents are asked to give feedback on all aspects of the school’s music regularly, in letters to parents, and in class.

Music can be an exclusive subject-cost, social and cultural assumptions, and ideas about ability can all influence children’s engagement with music. These need to be made explicit, and to be constantly challenged by everyone, staff and children. I believe that we do this, although it needs constant review. Providing clear information about what is on offer and how to access it, as well as funding for private music lessons for disadvantaged children are two of the most obvious ways we do this.

Implementation

Welcome to Music at Dringhouses!

 

We pride ourselves on our musical provision for all children in our school. Music really is a central part of our curriculum and of school life. At a time when headlines are full of headlines bemoaning the lack of music education, we at Dringhouses do sometimes actually have the opposite problem of worrying that we have too much! We hope you enjoy reading this summary which explains how we meet and exceed the seven key features of the National Plan for Music Education which are:

 

  • Timetabled curriculum music lesson of at least one hour a week
  • Access to lessons across a range of instruments including voice
  • A school choir
  • An ensemble, band or instrumental group
  • Space for rehearsals and individual practice
  • A termly performance
  • The opportunity to hear live performance at least once per year

This summary is divided into three sections:

 

Curriculum Music – this is the statutory classroom music lesson and singing practice that each child takes part in every week

 

Extra-Curricular Music – this describes the clubs and activities that your child can choose to take part in after school

 

Musical Experiences – these are the opportunities available for your child to experience music in different settings, including hearing and taking part in live performance 

Curriculum Music

 

We have a large dedicated music room which is fully equipped with class sets of tuned and untuned percussion instruments, keyboards, ukuleles and recorders. Every class from Y1-6 has a 45 minute classroom music lesson weekly, and everyone also takes part in 20 minute whole-school singing every week. Singing is central to our music making and these whole school sessions underpin our whole – school, inclusive approach to music-making.

 

These activities are taught by a specialist classroom music teacher, who also oversees the delivery of the Reception classes’ ‘Jolly Music’  Kodaly-based lessons.

 

The curriculum has been designed over many years to reflect and enhance the wider curriculum, and the interests of our children. It is based on the Model Music Curriculum (2021) 

 

In KS1 The lessons are Kodaly-based, with plenty of music and movement designed to allow all children to confidently respond to music in different ways. Singing is taught carefully, using the Curwen hand signs to emphasise accuracy in pitch, and gradually building up the range of notes used. Children have many opportunities to develop their confidence with our tuned and untuned percussion instruments, learning to collaborate creatively, improvising and imitating simple rhythms and tunes. They use the keyboards and Ipads to compose, and explore different sounds. KS1 children perform in their Nativity play at Christmas and also sing in church at Christmas and Easter. They share their singing at informal open days for parents during the year.

 

In KS2, standard notation is introduced, as well as ukulele tab, chord letters, and other less formal, graphic forms of notation as needed. Our ensemble instrument is the recorder and our children learn this instrument little and often – four weeks a term, every term, throughout years 3-6. We use the Recorder Karate approach which results in most children learning eight short pieces over the  four years. We chose recorders as they are  affordable and accessible and because they are a good instrument to learn to read music with which is a useful transferable skill. Children make quick progress owing to their musical training in KS1 and around 2/3 go on to take up a second instrument with one of our visiting teachers. 

The remaining lessons in KS2 are dedicated to listening, singing, improvising and composing, Dalcroze (music and movement) and history of music. As part of this children learn how to play chords on the ukulele and keyboard, and also explore a range of composing software on the Chromebooks. Our progression map for Rec, KS1 and KS2 can be found here:

KS2 Children in KS2 perform a Christingle service at Christmas and everyone takes part in the Easter Concert which showcases their achievements in all aspects of classroom music. Y3/4 sing as part of their topic play and Y6 all work together, with the choir,  to produce a big musical in the summer. Past productions are: Joseph, The Lion King, Moana, Bugsy Malone and Matilda!

 

Extra-Curricular Music

 

The majority of our children opt to learn at least one additional instrument with our excellent team of visiting teachers. These lessons take place weekly, during school time. Essentially we can offer whatever people want – currently our young musicians are learning: violin, viola, ‘cello, double bass, cornet, clarinet, saxophone, piano, classical guitar, electric guitar, bass and drum kit in individual or small groups (4 or less). We also have Rocksteady Music School which teaches pop/rock bands in groups of up to 8. Instruments they offer are electric guitar and bass, drum kit, keyboard and vocals. There are currently 4 Rocksteady bands and they perform in a concert for their parents and the school once a term.

Around half of our young instrumentalists work towards ABRSM or Trinity exams and most who choose this path attain between grade 2-4 by the time they leave us. Others prefer a more relaxed style of learning and our teachers’ flexible and nurturing approach means that they all really flourish.

All our young musicians perform in the Summer Concert and really look forward to their moment in the spotlight!

 

Instrumental lessons are charged individually and cost between £70 and £100 per term. 

We own a good number of instruments which we loan out for free wherever possible and we liaise with the Music Centre for affordable hire instruments when we run out!

All our Pupil Premium children are entitled to free lessons in one instrument including instrument hire.

 

The school has a Choir of around 60 KS2 children who meet weekly to rehearse. The Choir is open-access with no auditions.They sing a wide range of music to a high standard. They have regular carol-singing commitments at local outside venues and regularly perform at the York Schools’ Choral Festival. This Christmas they will partner with York Youth Symphony Orchestra for a Christmas concert as well as our own Christingle and Church services, and they will support the Y6s with their musical in the summer. There is no charge for Choir, but they are powered mostly by chocolate biscuits so a voluntary termly contribution of £2.00 is gratefully received!

 

Orchestra runs in the Easter term and is for anyone who has instrumental lessons or who wants to play one of our classroom instruments (recorder, keyboard, ukulele). Orchestra plays a range of well-known classics and performs at the Spring Concert. There is no charge for Orchestra

 

Several of our children take part in out-of-school musical activities including the York Music Centre, and Yorchestra, the holiday orchestra. Our string players enjoy attending the annual Strings Fun Day organised by York Music Hub in the summer term.

 

Musical Experiences

 

Music is a constant thread throughout our childrens’ primary years. They are taught by the same teacher throughout which allows her to really get to know the children and their musical strengths and enthusiasms. Children sing every day in assembly, but also in classes with their own teachers as part of other lessons. All our celebrations; seasonal, religious, or one-off, are marked by music-making  and a highlight of the year is when all of KS2 plays a piece all together that we have worked on in our classes, forming a band or orchestra of 180. Previous pieces have included ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ by Strauss, ‘O Fortuna’ by Orff, ‘Let it Be’ by the Beatles and ‘Sound and Vision’ by David Bowie.

 

All children perform regularly in their various ensembles, and also enjoy celebrating their friends’ achievements by forming enthusiastic and supportive audiences. Although the children do perform often, the focus is always very firmly on the process and the curriculum learning first and foremost, and the product will be what it is. Our performances are very informal and children are happy to start again if they want or need to-nobody is worried about standing in the wrong place or playing the wrong note!

 

Every year our excellent music teachers give an assembly to demonstrate their instruments so children get to hear how they sound. Our children take advantage of free tickets given by our local Symphony Orchestra and every year when possible, we visit the theatre in connection with our Y6 musical. Y5/6 all go to see the live film of The Nutcracker, streamed from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden

 

We love to take part in projects beyond our school, and this summer we took part in the Royal Opera House ‘Create’ day, joining with other schools in an opera and ballet project. 

Please see our Music Curriculum Progression documentation.

Please see our Music Development Plan.

Our Music subject leader is Mrs Clare Clarke

Please contact her for further information.

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