Germoe Community Primary School

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.

Aims:

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.

Our intent at the federation of Boskenwyn and Germoe Schools, is to ensure that all children can access rich and diverse ways to engage with music, both curricular and co-curricular. We aim to inspire children with the music of others locally and worldwide, to motivate them and provide enjoyment.

Implementation

UNESCO states that: ‘We all understand that the quality of our lives depends, to a great extent, on our being able to take part in, and benefit from our culture. We instinctively know, with no need for explanation, that maintaining a connection with the unique character of our historic and natural environment, with the language, the music, the arts, and the literature which accompanied us throughout our life, is fundamental for our spiritual wellbeing and for providing a sense of who we are. There is an intrinsic value of culture to a society.’

Fundamental musical skills are taught through engaging with wider cultural formations such as key events and involvement with community performances such as Mazey Day, Songfest, Harvest festivities and Christmas performances. Music not only acts as a cultural looking glass into our own local culture but provides a learning platform to appreciate how musical styles and events differ throughout the wider global community. Engaging with music in this way also provides real world contexts upon which to focus the learning of the important interrelated dimensions of music and the skills needed to articulate them on a range of instruments.

At the Federation of Boskenwyn and Germoe Schools we see it as highly important that children are able to access a wide variety of instruments and specialist 1:1 lessons alongside their designated music lesson time. Children with specialist instrumental skills are encouraged to integrate such skills within school performances. This brings school musical performances to life and provides an extra sense of purpose for those receiving 1:1 lessons from peripatetic instrumental tutors. Whole school singing features every week in assemblies. This helps to provide the social glue that connects staff and pupils alike, as we join in celebration of our weekly achievements.

We have recently subscribed to Charanga to support teachers, without subject specialism, in delivering high-quality music lessons. Our rolling program includes a carefully selected focus per half-term from the Charanga scheme of work, along with the curriculum milestones, that complement each class’s topic. Teachers can use directly or adapt. Using the Charanga programme ensures coverage of both the national curriculum music objects and the new model music curriculum and progression of skills throughout the key stages. When choosing a topic-based approach to a unit, we use the curriculum milestones to ensure coverage and progression for that unit of work.

Our children have a “First access” to music tuition. This gives them a chance to be inspired and motivated to create, appreciate and perform to an audience. Our termly musical talent shows give them the opportunity to show what they have learnt, either in First access or in choir, at home, or in their local community.

Impact

A typical music lesson will see pupils actively engaged in both the learning and participation of music. Children have developed a growing sense of confidence that can be applied to both the creation and performance of music in, and outside of, the classroom. Real successes so far have been our Harvest Festival performances, our Christmas productions and our preparation for the upcoming Songfest along with our termly talent shows. Our aim is for our children to feel able to confidently engage with musical practices and understand the importance and meaning of music within our everyday lives and within the wider world.

All staff are involved in key stage discussions at the beginning and end of topics to discuss skills, objective coverage and also planning what will be covered within our upcoming topics. We believe this is key in integrating the learning of foundation subjects, such as music, in line with our multi-disciplinary approach. The School’s Music lead regularly shares good practice, important documentation, planning tips and curriculum updates at staff meetings.