Intent

At Tidemill, we recognise music as a valuable part of our arts curriculum and a subject that is enjoyed by children throughout the school. We aim to provide valuable opportunities for children to develop their communication skills, curiosity, creativity and resilience. Through engaging with a diverse range of music, we intend children to develop their self-confidence as well as appreciation and respect towards others. We strive to provide a high-quality music education where pupils are engaged and inspired to develop a love of music which in turn will develop their talent as musicians.

Implementation

Every child at our school engages in high-quality music education from their entry into nursery until the end of KS2. Specialist music teachers provide children with a range of rich, first-hand experiences, drawing on their own areas of expertise to teach the objectives from the national curriculum. Through singing and learning to play a range of musical instruments, children develop their musical skills including listening, appraising, composing, recording and performing music.  Children develop a critical engagement with music through engaging with a diverse range of music. Children’s achievements are celebrated regularly with opportunities to perform, for example during school productions, performance assemblies and after school club showcases. In the early years, music is incorporated into daily routines and is used to enhance teaching of the core curriculum in addition to being taught as a stand-alone subject by a specialist music teacher. We have a variety of lunchtime and after school music clubs on offer to give children opportunities to progress to the next level of musical excellence.  In addition, children in KS2 are offered the opportunity to take additional instrumental lesson with a peripatetic music tutor.

Our music teachers plan the teaching of music according to the national curriculum, making cross-curricular links where relevant. This provides a broad range of music opportunities and experiences and ensures progression of knowledge and skills across and within each key stage. Music regularly features in lessons for children during nursery and reception years. There are plenty of opportunities for our children to sing, explore sounds and dance and play to music. In KS1 and 2, children learn to recognise and respond to musical patterns, 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. In KS2, children learn to play instruments including djembe drums and keyboard.