Music

Music gives pupils opportunities to express themselves, work collaboratively and experience a wide range of musical traditions. Children develop confidence through listening, singing, performing and composing.

Music Curriculum

At All Saints’, our music curriculum enables pupils to develop a lifelong love of music, becoming confident performers, creative musicians and thoughtful listeners. As a Church of England school, music has a central place in our school community, supporting our Christian vision through collective worship, celebration, reflection and shared experiences. We want every child to discover the joy of music, appreciate its importance across different cultures and traditions, and develop the confidence to share their musical talents with others.

Our curriculum progressively develops musical knowledge, skills and understanding from EYFS to Year 6. Through three key musical processes — Appraise, Compose and Perform — children learn to listen critically, create their own musical ideas and share their learning with an audience. Learning is carefully sequenced so that pupils build on, revisit and connect prior knowledge, developing their understanding of musical elements such as pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre and structure.

The curriculum follows the National Curriculum and is delivered through the Charanga music scheme, providing a structured and progressive approach to musical learning. In Year 4, pupils benefit from Whole Class Instrumental Teaching (WCIT) delivered by a specialist music teacher from Suffolk County Music Service. This enables children to develop their instrumental skills, ensemble playing and confidence in making music together.

Pupils explore rhythm, pitch, dynamics, structure and notation. They learn to listen attentively, rehearse with others and make creative choices when composing and performing.

Teaching and Learning

Music is taught through practical, engaging lessons that develop pupils’ musical knowledge and skills over time. Children explore a wide range of genres, cultures and traditions through listening, singing, playing instruments, improvising and creating their own musical ideas.

• Appraise: Pupils listen attentively, identify musical features and express their thoughts and opinions using appropriate musical vocabulary.
• Compose: Pupils experiment with sounds, rhythms and musical patterns, developing and organising their own ideas with increasing creativity and independence.
• Perform: Pupils sing and play instruments individually and collaboratively, developing accuracy, expression and confidence.

Teachers use modelling, demonstration, discussion and guided practice to build secure understanding and support increasing independence. Performance is an important part of our curriculum, with children sharing their learning with parents and the wider school community each term.

What pupils develop

Enrichment and Impact

Music is a valued part of life at All Saints’. Our weekly singing assembly, choir performances, collective worship, Harvest Service and seasonal celebrations provide opportunities for children to sing together and contribute to our school and church community. Every child has the opportunity to sing and perform in an annual phase production, such as our Nativity, spring or summer productions.

Through Rocksteady, children can form a band, learn to sing or play instruments, rehearse collaboratively and perform to an audience. We also provide opportunities to experience live music through events such as pantomimes and church services. Our wider musical learning introduces children to significant musicians and a range of musical styles, helping them appreciate the diversity and influence of music.

Regular musical experiences help skills and understanding grow progressively while celebrating enjoyment, creativity and participation.

From the early exploration of sounds, songs and rhythms in EYFS, pupils progress towards increasingly confident singing, instrumental performance, composition and musical appraisal throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Learning builds systematically so that children revisit key musical concepts, develop technical skills and make connections between different pieces, styles and traditions.

Progression through Charanga and our Year 4 instrumental provision ensures that pupils develop their musical understanding over time. Teachers consider prior learning and adapt activities to meet pupils’ needs, providing appropriate support and challenge so that all children can access an ambitious and inclusive music curriculum.

By the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to listen and respond thoughtfully, create and develop musical ideas, perform expressively, recognise key musical features and communicate their understanding using appropriate vocabulary. Above all, they should have experienced the joy of making music together and developed an appreciation of music that will continue beyond their time at primary school.