Our school has a wonderful school choir. Throughout the year, the choir sing for the wider community at local care homes, hospitals and community centres allowing them to express themselves and share their passion for singing with others.
We offer private drumming lessons with our talented drum teacher Steve Farmer.
Our music curriculum aims to provide all pupils with a high quality music education which engages and inspires children to develop a life-long love of music, increases their self-confidence, creativity and imagination, and provides opportunities for self-expression and a sense of personal achievement. Children participate in a wide range of activities to develop their talents in all aspects of music including composition, rhythm work, instrumental skills, singing and appreciation.
We use the award-winning scheme Charanga to teach the National Curriculum for music. The Charanga Musical School Scheme provides teachers with week-by-week lesson support for each year group in school, whilst supporting all the requirements of the National Curriculum. Each unit of work comprises the three strands of musical learning:
1. Listening and appraising
2. Musical activities
3. Performing
Music is a unique way of communication that can inspire and motivate children. It is a vehicle for personal expression and it can play an important role in the personal development of people. We believe in providing our children with the opportunity to play and perform in small groups and ensembles, to help to foster essential life skills such as co-operation, mutual support, self-discipline and commitment. Music plays an important role in helping children feel part of a community.
The National Plan for Music Education and the Model Music Curriculum both state that children should learn to play an instrument as part of a whole-class instrumental programme supported by teachers from their local Music Education Hub. Year 5 learn to play an instrument with Derbyshire Music Education Hub and take part in the Midlands Halle Concert in the summer term. This year, pupils are learning the ukulele. The 30-week programme, delivered in school by specially trained music teachers, plays a valuable role in our music provision.
Each half term our children are exposed to different music genres, periods and composers. The Composer of the Half Term allows children to understand the development of music through time as well as being able to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms from the 16th century to today.
Our pupils demonstrate a love of learning in music. Pupils talk enthusiastically about music lessons and take part energetically in class. All learning builds towards clearly defined end of Key Stage objectives. Our pupils leave Key Stage 2 with a strong knowledge of a wide variety of musical genres, and are able to confidently identify a variety of artists from both the past and present. All pupils are exposed to music from around the world sung by significant individuals and groups. Opportunities for the pupils to apply their knowledge and understanding to performance, composition and appraising activities will be provided throughout the year and successes are celebrated and shared.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
The music subject leader receives dedicated subject leadership time as well as support from the Leader of Musical Development for South East Derbyshire.