Music Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent: 

• At MRA we aim for our pupils to learn to express themselves through music with the aim that it is an enjoyable experience.   
• We believe strongly in ensuring that every child in the school reaches their full potential and that they do everything to the best of their ability, never give up and work together with integrity.  All pupils receive class music lessons every half term, all pupils expected to make progress, acquiring and applying key knowledge, skills in order to meet age related expectations.  These lessons are conducted to a high standard, pitched in order to create progression and linked to topics that are being covered in class in order to maintain context and to sustain interested and an enjoyment of learning.   All lessons are taught in accordance to the 2014 National curriculum and progression is assured thorough our medium-term plans (MTP) which are written to meet objectives created by Tim Nelson and Focus-education. 
• We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up their confidences, understanding and musical appreciation.  

• Pupils are exposed to a variety of genre, with a focus on groups that are represented within the school and that of their local environment and further afield 
• Our teaching focus’s on rhythm and how to follow a beat.  All students learn to play both percussive and melodic percussive instruments and learn how to notate, organise and understand form of music during these lessons and are expected to explain their learning using technical musical vocabulary     
• Music is taught both by class teachers as well as music specialists in order to create and implement a music curriculum which enables progression against all criteria outline in the 2014 NC 
• It is out intent that all pupils are given the chance to learn a musical instrument and that we enable our disadvantage students to take an instrument until the end of year 6 with the aim of them playing grade exams by year 7.  

Implementation: 

• All pupils sing twice a week in assemblies as well as singing assemblies.  Expectation are high during these sessions and all pupils are expected to sing to the best of their ability. 
• Twice a week, pupils are exposed to a focus musician, showcasing a genre 
• Performers from the worshipful company of musicians as well as the HLT are invited to perform for our children once every half term.  These performances cover a wide range of styles and instruments 
• We aim for all children to listen to a performer every Friday after their assemblies, and are played out of the hall, allowing them to listen to the music in silence 
• Our music curriculum has been carefully mapped out to ensure progression from EYFS up to Y7 and all activities have been co-authored by our leaders and class teachers in line with the overarching themes of our topics for each term, National curriculum and curriculum progression documents.  

• Pupils in all year groups are taught to play percussive instruments such as wood blocks, claves, tambourines, etc…, teaching them how to follow a beat, compose ostinato, play dynamically.  All pupils are taught lessons using glockenspiel to give them access into learning pitch, scale and how to write and compose using both formal and informal notation. 
• All year 4 pupils are introduced to both string and wind instruments during the Autumn term.   It is compulsory that all PPG pupils assessed in having an ability in playing these instruments take string/woodwind until the end year 6.   
• We aim to introduce additional instruments as our school grows into year 5 and 6 
• Curriculum coverage is ensured through group planning sessions and conversations with subject leads who are closely supported by HLT 
• Lessons are closely monitored my SLT and feedback is provided on PAM with manageable targets for teachers to work towards in order to provide our pupils with the best possible music lessons 

• In order for us to ensure clear progression and high quality music lessons we are able to draft from our secondary schools within the federation to support us with CDP which is tailored to best support teachers gaps in subject knowledge and musical pedagogy 
• Pupils are taught both in classrooms as well as a specialised music classroom.  All lessons are well resources with both percussion and melodic percussive instruments to allow maximum access to the knowledge and skills being taught during lessons in accordance with the MRA an national curriculum.  
• SEND pupils are supported by additional adult support in both class and the music room.  Lessons are planned with these pupils in mind and differentiated where necessary  
• Pupils assessed to being GD are challenged through differentiated objectives contained within our progression maps 

Impact: 

• Both summative and formative assessments conducted by class teachers and leaders enable us to identify the impact that our curriculum is having on progress and attainment. 
• Key groups of children that underperform are identified and supported accordingly 

• The criteria of the National Curriculum are satisfied across EYFS, KS1 and KS2 
• Disadvantage pupils play in ensembles and take Trinity/Royal schools exams. 
• All pupils have the chance to learn a musical instrument 
• All pupils gain greater self-confidence in performing, composing and expressing themselves through music.  They are able to have conversations about various genres of music using appropriate vocabulary while analysing compositions and performances.