Music at Colne Engaine

Through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres, we want our children to develop a curiosity for music, 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 are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.

At Colne Engaine, we use Chris Quigley Milestones defined by the four areas of: perform, compose, transcribe and describe. These key concepts underpin learning and progression in each milestone. This enables pupils to reinforce and build upon prior learning, make connections and develop subject specific language.

Through our scheme (Charanga ) and topic work, pupils have the opportunity to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. They learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others and also have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.

In KS1, the children enjoy singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes. They have the opportunity to play both tuned and percussion instruments which they use to create, select and combine sounds. They also listen and move to a wide range of music.

All children take part in weekly singing lessons which contribute to our Harvest, Christmas and Easter celebrations. Our Christmas and end of year performances provide an opportunity for the children to share their work in music with parents, governors and other friends of the school.

We want our children to experience a range of musical cultures and genres. They will receive basic musical instruction, compose and perform their own music, in addition to the opportunity to learn an instrument.

Threshold Concepts
Perform
This concept involves understanding that music is created to be performed.
Compose (creating and exploring)
This concept involves appreciating that music is created through a process which
has a number of techniques.
Transcribe (musical activities)
This concept involves understanding that compositions need to be understood by
others and that there are techniques and a language for communicating them.
Describe music (listening and appraising)
This concept involves appreciating the features and effectiveness of musical
Elements.

Through our curriculum and within our music teaching we:

• ensure that children are introduced to a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres
• are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community
• aim to incorporate music into other areas of the curriculum as we understand its potential in contributing to the ‘whole’ child
• make links so that the history of the music, musician or style is seeped in solid understanding.
• provide opportunities for children to learn to play an instrument through lessons and external music teachers that come into school
• allow children to express their feelings and emotions through music
• plan for children’s good musical progression of knowledge and skills across the school using Chris Quigley Milestones and Charanga
• work collaboratively to evaluate and improve performances
• begin to use digital software to compose our own music and develop music technology skills
• make choices about the music they like to listen to or choose to perform and are respected for their individual preferences.

Opportunities to perform to own class, in whole school productions or within our local environment like the church, ensures our children understand the significance and place of music within the wider world and that these excite and inspire children’s curiosity and participation in the subject. Music offers lifelong opportunities for the development of imagination, sensitivity, inventiveness, and enjoyment as well as aspirations for future careers and we explicitly share this.

We measure the impact of our curriculum by assessing the children against the milestones on a half-termly basis. Through the explicit teaching of the music skills, both the teachers and the pupils assess their learning continuously throughout the lesson. Our assessment systems enable teachers to make informed judgements about the depth of their learning and the progress they have made over time against the milestones for each year group