Overall Vision

 

At The Grange pupils will be competent musicians because they will:

 

• 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.

 

Why is music in the curriculum?

•          Music is part of every human culture, with people engaging with it for personal pleasure, group identity, dancing, storytelling, communication, ceremony and battle, worship, meditation and healing.

•          Music shares a number of interrelated characteristics such as rhythm, pitch, silence, structure, tempo and timbre.

•          All human beings share the capacity to sing, play and listen to music as well as playing, performing, improvising and composing.  Music is quite simply for everyone!

•          It is important that children experience a wide range of music to discover their musical preferences and to consider the ways they might engage with music as a lifelong activity.

•          Music has great potential for creativity and personal expression. It provides a means to reach out to parents and the wider community.

•          Music provides great potential for intellectual, social and personal growth.

•          The main aim of NC music is to inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians.

•          Children learn about music before they are even born, with hearing among the earliest of the senses to develop. Research has proven that unborn child responds to melodic contour of mother’s voice, heartbeat, to the rhythm of walking and to the natural sounds of its internal world.

•          Music education draws on these innate responses and begins to channel them towards targeted goals. In the early years practitioners draw and build a repertoire of songs and rhymes with music becoming central to the process of social development and human bonding.

 

 

•          As children move through KS1 and KS2 more formal music teaching begins as children are supported to improve their singing and to develop specific instrumental musical skills. It is the job of our teachers to respond to children’s natural musical curiosity and to build on this through a lively and ongoing programme of music teaching.

 

What is a musician?

Everybody has the right to call themselves a musician. We all listen to music and most people possess a deep knowledge of particular forms of music and its key components.  Most people develop life-long loves of different musical forms. Through music people gain something of their personal identity. For some people music is about performance, whilst for others music is something to be enjoyed alone. Whatever the context they are all acts of music.

 

Key Practices of Musicians – Key Concepts for Progression

 

Subject Knowledge for Teaching Music

•          Composing – create a work of art namely music.

•          Listening and Appraising – an active process where children comment on the dynamic range and on the speed. They agree the parts which require more rehearsal.

•          Performing - high-quality performances require considerable periods of rehearsal and preparation.

•          Mode of Enquiry – children’s engagement with great music should arise through diverse musical experiences and responses

 

 

 

 

Subject Knowledge for Teaching Music

There is seven interrelated dimensions that feature in all aspects of music making

1.         Pitch – high and low notes, which combined create a melody

2.         Duration – long and short sounds, which combined create rhythm

3.         Dynamics – energy or volume

4.         Tempo - speed

5.         Timbre – quality of sound, relating to different instruments or vocal effects

6.         Texture – layers of sound or the number of parts/voices

7.         Structure – how the piece begins and ends and where it goes in relation to pattern, sequence, symmetry and balance

 

 

 Partnership with Oxfordshire Music Service

We are proud to work with specialist music teachers from the Oxfordshire Music Service, who deliver high-quality music lessons across the school. Their expertise ensures that all pupils receive outstanding musical tuition, tailored to meet the needs of each year group. From exploring rhythm and pitch in the early years to performing as part of a school ensemble in upper key stages, every child has the opportunity to thrive musically.

Singing with Sing Up for Schools

Singing is at the heart of our music curriculum. As a Sing Up for Schools member, we use this award-winning platform to enrich our singing practice across the school. Whether it’s singing in assemblies, performing in concerts, or using songs to support learning in other subjects, Sing Up helps us bring music to life in fun and meaningful ways. Pupils develop their vocal skills, confidence, and a love for performance.

Whole-School Engagement

Music is an integral part of our school culture. From weekly singing assemblies to themed music days, our curriculum ensures every child is actively engaged in music-making. We also provide opportunities for pupils to showcase their talents through school performances, concerts, and special events.

Instrumental Opportunities

In addition to class music lessons, pupils have access to a variety of instrumental learning opportunities. Our partnership with Oxfordshire Music Service offers pupils the chance to learn instruments such as the ukulele, recorder, and percussion, as well as engage in ensemble work.

5. A Broad and Balanced Curriculum

Our music curriculum is designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, focusing on the following key areas:

• Performing: Singing and playing instruments confidently in solo and group settings.

• Composing: Creating original music using rhythms, melodies, and harmonies.

• Listening and Appraising: Developing an appreciation for a range of music from different genres, cultures, and historical periods.

Benefits of Music Education

Through our music curriculum, pupils:

• Build self-esteem and confidence.

• Develop coordination, listening, and teamwork skills.

• Gain an appreciation for diverse musical styles and traditions.

• Experience the joy of expressing themselves through music.

 

Get Involved!

We encourage parents and carers to get involved in our musical journey by attending school performances and celebrating the achievements of our talented pupils. Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming concerts and showcases!

At The Grange Community Primary School, we are proud to nurture the next generation of musicians and performers, ensuring that music plays a central role in the lives of our pupils.

 

 

 

 

We deliver the Music National Curriculum through a creative whole-school programme of high-quality classroom and whole school performance, singing and activity. Through using resources such as Sing Up Music and Charanga, as well as external guitar tutoring and Music for Schools tutoring, our children are exposed to a broad and diverse range of repertoire, approaches, and musical traditions.

 

Our curriculum supports a fully-integrated approach to musical development, connecting the interrelated strands of singing, playing, performing, composing, improvising, listening, and appraising.

 

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Music at The Grange is a stand-alone subject that incorporates the key elements of our projects throughout the year, maintaining our common thread throughout the school. At The Grange, our music curriculum enables the children to play classroom instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control, and expression; sing solo and as part of an ensemble; improvise and compose; increase their cultural capital through listening to and appraising a range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions; develop an understanding of the history of music.

 

 

We believe that studying music has a multitude of benefits. Our children use music as a creative and enjoyable way to express themselves, develop their composing and performance skills and explore the plethora of music that this world has to offer and we are passionate that music can promote mental development and self-esteem.

 

The length of lessons are as follows:

 

30 minutes per lesson for Early Years. (+ setting up time)

40 minutes per lesson for KS1 (+ setting up time)

50 minutes per lesson for KS2 (+ setting up time)

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Music is taught through a two-year programme and each lesson includes warm-ups, main activity, and a conclusion. We have a range of musical instruments and technology to support the curriculum

 

We also offer opportunities for extra-curricular involvement in music. This includes KS2 choir throughout the year, Harvest, Christmas, Easter and GrangeFest performances, Children Singing for Children, Year 6 end of year performances and concerts. We have pleasure when musical guests perform for us and we love to sing as a whole school – especially our school song ‘The Grange School’.