Intent

At Barley Close Primary School, we value music as creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging.

We believe in the power of music to bring us together through singing; ensemble playing; exploring new pieces, composers and genres from around the world; and experimenting with the creative process.

We want to give children the opportunity to experience the joy of music. We believe music can feed the soul of our school; connect us with our wider community; enrich the lives of individual students and strengthen the shared bonds of trust which join us together as a fantastic school. 

Throughout their time at Barley Close, our students will learn to love music through singing, listening, composing and performing. We believe musical concepts should be experienced first before being explained clearly, then reinforced with focussed and committed practice. Music will be enjoyed and embodied first, then explained and put into context through the appropriate use of terminology and notation.

We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life.

We aim to provide children with the opportunity to progress to the next level of their creative excellence.

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This can be seen in classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances and the learning of instruments.

Through the recently purchased musical program Kapow, teachers are able to produce inclusive lessons for all children to access the musical curriculum in a fun and engaging way, further promoting a love of learning. Teachers deliver music following the Kapow programme, designed specifically for the teaching of music in primary schools. Kapow Music lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding.

The elements of music are taught in 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. Music within school also offers whole class lessons - African drumming lessons for example - as a part of our Wider Opportunities sessions.

Children also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.

Impact

Music enables children to develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from around the world. This in turn supports their Personal and Cultural Development, while also promoting British Values. 

Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts; they can sing and feel a pulse, for example.

At Barley Close Primary School children are provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their musical understanding. These include having and visiting concerts and school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assembly, ensuring that everyone is challenged regardless of previous musical experience. Children have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives. We also offer the opportunity to learn piano, ukulele and guitar in music lessons taught by a local music academy.