Music

Music Curriculum: Intent

At Field Road Academy, we believe that music is an essential part of a balanced, creative, and vibrant education. Our intent is to foster a lifelong love of music in all our pupils, developing their talent as musicians and increasing their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement.

We ensure that every child—regardless of their background or starting point—has access to a high-quality, progressive music education. Our curriculum is designed to systematically build children’s musical knowledge, vocabulary, and skills in four core areas:

Singing
Listening and Appraising
Composing and Improvising
Performing (both vocally and with instruments)

Clear Vision and Ambition

The school's intent for Music is to foster a love for music, develop pupils' musical skills, and enhance their cultural awareness. The school acknowledges that music is an important part of a well-rounded education, offering opportunities for creativity and personal expression.

Coherent Curriculum

The school has a well-planned, progressive, and broad Music curriculum that meets the National Curriculum requirements. The curriculum incorporates the key components of performing, composing, and listening, ensuring a balance between developing practical skills and theoretical understanding.

High Expectations

The school has high expectations for all pupils in Music, regardless of their prior musical experience or ability. Teachers strive to challenge and support pupils to reach their full potential, fostering a growth mindset approach. Differentiation strategies are employed effectively to meet the needs of all learners.

Cultural Diversity and Inclusion

The school recognises the importance of celebrating cultural diversity in Music. The intent is for pupils to explore music from a variety of cultures and traditions, fostering an inclusive and respectful learning environment. Pupils are exposed to a range of musical genres, including those originating from different communities represented within the school.

Long Term Planning

Long Term Planning- Year 3 to 6 music

Medium Term Planning

Year 3 Medium Term- Music Year 4 Medium Term- Music Year 5 Medium Term Planning - Music

Year 6 Medium Term Planning (Flute) - Music.pdf

Music Progression Statements

Music Curriculum: Implementation

To achieve our vision, we follow the fully integrated Sing Up Music Curriculum [Sing Up Music Curriculum] from Early Years through to Year 6. This scheme of work aligns seamlessly with both the National Curriculum and the Model Music Curriculum (MMC).

An Integrated Approach: Every unit of work takes a holistic approach to musical learning, connecting singing, playing instruments, composing, and listening in every lesson.
Active Instrumental Learning: Alongside developing their voices, pupils gain hands-on experience playing tuned percussion, recorders, and glockenspiels.
Breadth and Diversity: Pupils explore high-quality repertoire spanning different musical traditions, historical periods, and global cultures, broadening their cultural horizons.
Consistent Progression: Our curriculum is carefully sequenced. Each year group revisits and deepens their understanding of the interrelated dimensions of music (pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, and structure).

Specialist Music Staff

The school employs specialist music staff, ensuring that pupils receive high-quality music instruction. These staff possess relevant qualifications and expertise in music education. They collaborate with other school staff to ensure a joined-up approach to music teaching across the curriculum.

Timetabled Music Lessons

Music lessons are timetabled weekly to ensure sufficient curriculum time is dedicated to the subject. The school follows a consistent and structured approach to curriculum planning, with Music lessons delivered by class teachers and specialist music staff. The curriculum is designed to build upon prior learning, with clear progression of skills and knowledge.

Practical Music-Making Opportunities

Pupils actively engage in practical music-making throughout their primary education. They have access to a wide range of musical instruments, including both traditional and contemporary, as well as opportunities to use technology in music composition. Singing is an integral part of the curriculum, with regular whole-school singing assemblies and choirs.

Extra-Curricular Music Provision

The school provides enriching extra-curricular music opportunities beyond timetabled lessons. This includes choir practice which allows pupils to further develop their musical talents and interests. Strong links are forged with local music providers, promoting participation in community music events and showcasing pupils' achievements.

Partnerships and Collaboration

The school actively seeks partnerships and collaborations with local music organisations, professional musicians, and other schools. These partnerships provide opportunities for pupils to experience live performances, workshops, and masterclasses, enriching their musical experiences and inspiring their aspirations in music.

Music Curriculum: Impact

The impact of our music curriculum is evident in our pupils' growing confidence, expressive capabilities, and musical maturity.

Tracking Progress: We use Sing Up's embedded progression activities three times a year for each year group [Sing Up Music Curriculum]. This allows teachers to capture evidence of pupil development, ensuring children achieve clear musical end-points before moving on.
Trust-Wide Collaborations: As part of the Lighthouse Trust, our children have the exciting opportunity to showcase their talents on a larger stage, participating in major collaborative trust events such as 'Music Madness'.
In-School Performances: We celebrate the joy of live music within our school community. Children regularly perform to parents and families during our Christmas performances and other significant events throughout the academic year.
Enrichment: Beyond classroom lessons, pupils have access to extra-curricular opportunities

Pupil Outcomes

The impact of the school's Music provision is evident in the positive outcomes achieved by pupils. Pupils demonstrate progress in their musical skills, knowledge, and understanding as they move through the school, supported by evidenced-based assessments. They are able to perform, compose, and listen with confidence, developing a lifelong appreciation and understanding of music.

Engagement and Well-being

The school's Music provision nurtures pupils' engagement and well-being. Pupils are enthusiastic participants in music lessons and extra-curricular activities, experiencing a sense of enjoyment, accomplishment, and personal fulfilment. The inclusive nature of the provision ensures that all pupils feel included, valued, and supported in their musical journey.

Cultural Development

Music plays a crucial role in developing pupils' cultural awareness and appreciation. Through exposure to diverse musical traditions, pupils learn to respect and celebrate the cultural heritage of their peers and wider society. This fosters a sense of belonging, unity, and social cohesion among pupils.

Holistic Development

At Field Road Academy our Music provision contributes to pupils' holistic development. It enhances their creativity, self-expression, and communication skills. Pupils develop important transferable skills, including teamwork, perseverance, and self-discipline. They develop a love of learning and a curiosity for exploring different musical styles and genres.

If you want further information about the curriculum content your child is covering please speak to your child's class teacher or call the school office to arrange an appointment to see the subject leader, Mrs Dhillon.