Intent  

At Ashford Hill, we aim to help children feel that they are musical, and to develop a life-long love of music. We focus on developing the skills, knowledge and understanding children need in order to become confident performers, composers and listeners. Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate the music of all traditions and communities. Children will develop the musical skills of singing, playing tuned and untuned instruments, improvising and composing music, and listening and responding to music. They will develop an understanding of the history and cultural context of the music that they listen to and learn how music can be written down.  

We believe that Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. We aim to ensure that all pupils receive high quality teaching in the subject of music. We aim to motivate and inspire all pupils to fulfil their potential, including those who show strong musical ability and talent on an instrument or voice. We aim to develop strong listening skills, which can be then used across the wider curriculum. 

Through their music learning, we aim to increase the child’s self-confidence, ability to work cooperatively as part of a team and to give them a sense of achievement. We value music as a form of confidence building, expression, as a social subject and for enjoyment. It is also a way of artistically promoting our school and helps to unite the local community. 

Implementation  

We implement a curriculum that uses the Kapow Music scheme as its basis. Lessons are taught every week by our Music teacher. Our music scheme takes an holistic approach to music, in which individual strands below are woven together to create engaging and enriching learning experiences: 

• Performing 
• Listening 
• Composing 
• The history of music 
• The inter-related dimensions of music 

Each unit combines all of these strands. Over the course of their time at Ashford Hill, children will be taught how to sing fluently and expressively, and play tuned and untuned instruments accurately and with control. They will learn to recognise and name the interrelated dimensions of music – pitch, duration, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and dynamics – and use these expressively in their own improvisations and compositions. 

The scheme follows a spiral curriculum model where previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon. Children progress in terms of tackling more complex tasks and doing simpler tasks better. They also develop their understanding and knowledge of the history of music, musical notations and interrelated dimensions of music.  

In each lesson, pupils will actively participate in musical activities drawn from a range of styles and traditions, developing their musical skills and their understanding of how music works. Lessons can be accessed by all children and there are opportunities for adaptation to ensure support or stretch and challenge for those who require it. 

Music in EYFS is taught weekly as a discrete lesson and as part of continuous provision.  

Music in KS1 and 2 is taught weekly for an hour by our PPA teacher.  

Impact  

Our Music curriculum will ensure that children will:  

• be confident performers, composers and listeners and will be able to express themselves musically at and beyond school; 
• show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural social and historical contexts in which it is developed; 
• understand the ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities; 
• demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal musical preferences; 
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the national curriculum for Music. 

Please see the Music subject overview below for more information.