Music
At Thorpe Acre Junior School, we aim to create a passion for music in our children that will stay with them in their future lives. We aim to ensure that music is an inspiring and engaging experience that enables every child to develop their musical potential while gaining a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.
We are committed to ensuring children understand the value; importance and impact of music to their own and others’ lives and wellbeing. We endeavour to provide a variety of musical experiences through a curriculum which develops learning, improves knowledge and promotes pupil well-being through building up the confidence of all children. Music can impact the way that children feel, think and act and we want music to encourage the body and mind to work together, develop motor skills and allow self-expression.
These skills are developed in a number of ways including, but not limited to: Peripatetic teachers, following the Leicestershire Music Hub music scheme of work, performances throughout the year, singing assemblies, enrichment days and community events.
Music development plan summary:
Thorpe Acre Junior School
Overview
Detail | Information |
Academic year that this summary covers | 2024 - 2025 |
Date this summary was published | September 2024 |
Date this summary will be reviewed | September 2025 |
Name of the school music lead | Gemma Wilkinson |
Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different) | Gemma Wilkinson |
Name of local music hub | Leicestershire Music Hub |
Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place) | Leicestershire Music Hub Music Mark |
This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our pupils across three areas – curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences – and what changes we are planning in future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education.
Part A: Curriculum music
This is about what we teach in lesson time, how much time is spent teaching music and any music qualifications or awards that pupils can achieve.
At Thorpe Acre Junior School, we aim to create a passion for music in our children that will stay with them in their future lives. We aim to ensure that music is an inspiring and engaging experience that enables every child to develop their musical potential while gaining a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.
We are committed to ensuring children understand the value, importance and impact of music to their own and others’ lives and wellbeing. We endeavour to provide a variety of musical experiences through a curriculum which develops learning, improves knowledge and promotes pupil well-being by building up the confidence of all children. Music can impact the way that children feel, think and act and we want music to encourage the body and mind to work together, develop motor skills and allow self-expression.
These skills are developed in a number of ways including, but not limited to: peripatetic teachers, following the Leicestershire Music Hub music scheme of work, performances throughout the year, singing assemblies, enrichment days and community events. Music is taught in class and is informed by the model music curriculum (March 2021). Lessons are a minimum of 45 minutes long and are taught by class teachers or a music specialist. Teaching is supported by specialist planning provided through our chosen scheme. In accordance with the National Curriculum, we ensure that coverage of knowledge and skills is developed sequentially throughout the school.
Our scheme of work fulfils the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum (2014). 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.
For the basis of our music lessons, we have adopted the Leicestershire Music Hub’s scheme of work for our curriculum to ensure that children receive quality music lessons throughout the year. We cover one unit per half-term and have timetabled music lessons in all year groups, these happen on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Our chosen scheme fulfils the National Curriculum statutory requirements (2014) and aligns with the Model Music Curriculum (March 2021). Each unit of work across an academic year is set out to ensure that concepts and ideas are interwoven and built upon year on year in a clear sequence to aid pupils in knowing more and remembering more. The unit headings that we cover across the year are: • Pulse
When using the scheme and its progressive lessons, we are meeting all the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and progress is evident through observations, videos, assessments and evaluations of performances. Discussions with children have demonstrated an increasing knowledge of key music vocabulary being recalled and applied. Observations have shown that pupils are engaged and active during the lessons, including SEND. We have a wide range of instruments, both tuned and untuned, that can be used in the lessons to fulfil the requirements of our curriculum.
Each unit follows a sequence of learning in which children have opportunity to combine the four main elements of music; play and perform, create and compose, respond and review and listen and apply. This approach ensures the children get a rich learning experience covering all aspects of music. The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed.
There is a clear progression of skills and knowledge to accompany each unit that sets out sequentially exactly how the children progress throughout the year as well as year on year. Each of the five units that we cover has a clear progressive approach that builds on substantive and disciplinary knowledge. In addition to the scheme lessons and instrument opportunities, we provide weekly singing assemblies and various concerts and performances throughout the year.
In addition to timetabled music lessons, Years 4 to 6 have access to recorder lessons with a specialist teacher sourced through our partnership with the Leicestershire Music Hub.
All pupils with additional needs are supported to develop and succeed musically. We ensure full participation in music lessons with no child withdrawn for other learning. Where adaptations are required, we ensure these are as inclusive as they can be. The lesson plans we follow include suggestions for adaptive teaching to challenge or support which staff respond to as required.
Formative assessment is central to musical progress and is part of every lesson. Pupils are encouraged to make self- assessments and peer assessments of their work ‘live’ and in the moment or by watching video recordings back. After additional teaching input they then can make amendments. Summative assessments are made at the end of every unit of work and music attainment is shared with parents and carers on pupil end of year reports.
When opportunities arise for children to continue their music provisions outside of school, we signpost pupils and parents to these opportunities through our parent communication app Weduc.
To read in more detail about the provision music at Thorpe Acre Junior School, please visit our music curriculum page https://www.thorpeacrejuniorschool.co.uk/music/ |
Part B: Co-curricular music
This is about opportunities for pupils to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, and how pupils can make progress in music beyond the core curriculum.
We look to support musical learning beyond the classroom, responding to musical interests that the children show and signposting families on to further opportunities outside of school within our community. This is achieved through our parent communication app Weduc. |
Part C: Musical experiences
This is about all the other musical events and opportunities that we organise, such as singing in assembly, concerts and shows, and trips to professional concerts.
At Thorpe Acre Junior School we are fortunate to have opportunities for the children to develop their music skills. In addition to planned curriculum time for music, children also have additional musical experiences in school. Music is incorporated into a variety of activities and events within school, such as weekly assemblies, singing assemblies, classroom routines and special celebrations. The overall provision is diverse, valuing all musical styles, genres and traditions equally.
On a weekly basis, all pupils take part in a singing assembly, using a range of materials. These songs are performed as a whole school at other assemblies throughout the year.
At different points in the year, children in all year groups take part in performances to the parents around different themes that occur. Examples include but are not limited to: Easter, Christmas, Diwali, Summer Concert, End of Year Performance (Y6 only). These performances allow the children to continue their singing skills outside of lesson time and develop confidence in ensemble and solo situations.
Each year, we take the whole school to DeMontfort Hall to experience a live music concert through our partnership with Leicestershire Music Hub and our whole school benefits from a visiting Pantomime each year. These opportunities ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to experience watching professional, live performances.
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In the future
This is about what the school is planning for subsequent years.
In future years, our Music Development Plan aims to achieve the following: - Introduction of a wider range of instruments on offer for small group or individual lessons |
Further information
The Department for Education publishes a guide for parents and young people on how they can get involved in music in and out of school, and where they can go to for support beyond the school.
Collaboration – continue to work with schools with the Beskilled Partnership to offer musical opportunities to all pupils and share resources. CPD – Attend Beskilled Music Network meetings and Leicestershire Music Hub Network meetings and training where applicable. |