Music

Music is a universal language that plays a vital role in pupils’ creative and personal development. Our music curriculum is designed to engage and inspire all children, nurturing a lifelong enjoyment of music while developing their skills and confidence as young musicians. Through opportunities to perform, compose and listen, pupils build creativity, self-belief and a strong sense of achievement. As they progress, they develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of a wide range of musical styles, enabling them to listen critically and express themselves with confidence and discrimination.

In Key Stage 1, children enjoy a rich and engaging music curriculum that encourages creativity, confidence and enjoyment. Pupils learn to use their voices expressively through singing songs and performing chants and rhymes. They explore a range of tuned and untuned instruments, developing their musical skills through practical play and performance. Children listen carefully to a variety of high-quality live and recorded music, helping them to build concentration and understanding. They are also given opportunities to experiment with sounds, creating and combining musical ideas while learning about the different elements of music. Through these experiences, children develop a love of music and the confidence to express themselves creatively.

In Key Stage 2, pupils develop their musical skills with increasing confidence, control and enjoyment. Through singing, playing instruments, composing and listening, children deepen their understanding of how music is created, performed and appreciated. Pupils learn to perform both individually and as part of an ensemble, using their voices and a range of instruments with growing accuracy, fluency and expression. They explore improvisation and composition, organising musical ideas within clear structures and using the key elements of music. Listening skills are developed through focused attention to detail, helping children to recall and reproduce sounds from memory. Children are introduced to staff notation and other musical symbols, supporting them to read, write and understand music. They listen to and appreciate a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music from different cultures, traditions and time periods, including the work of great composers and musicians. As they progress, pupils also develop an awareness of the history of music and how it has evolved over time. Music in Key Stage 2 encourages creativity, teamwork and self-expression, while nurturing a lifelong enjoyment and appreciation of music.