CAMELSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL MUSIC POLICY

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1 The Contribution of Music to the whole curriculum CAMELSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL MUSIC POLICY Music is a fundamental feature of human existence; it is found in all societies, throughout history and across the world. Taking the expressive qualities of sound as its starting point, music allows pupils to explore, create, select, organise, practise, present and communicate ideas and also enables pupils to listen critically. Music can change the way children feel, think and act. It affects moods and emotions providing opportunity for personal expression, reflection and emotional well-being. It develops thinking, increasing perception, imagination, creativity and physical coordination. Music is a social activity which helps children to develop skills that will be essential in later life: o pleasure in a sense of individual and collective achievement o presenting oneself in front of others o listening skills and sensitivity to sound o imagination and inventiveness o intellectual and artistic skills o the ability to analyse and solve problems and develop ideas o lengthened attention and concentration span o concern for accuracy o communication skills (verbal as well as non-verbal) o social skills, such as cooperation, resourcefulness, perseverance, tolerance, self-confidence, working as a team, leading and being led o self-motivation, self-discipline, self-analysis and self-evaluation o awareness and appreciation of a wide range of cultural traditions There is much evidence which indicates that achievements in music can be a powerful motivating influence in other areas of the curriculum. At Camelsdale Primary School we consider music to be an important part of a balanced curriculum and a key part of The Camelsdale Way. It develops skills which benefit many other aspects of school life and provides children with another means of expression, enriching the creative and spiritual aspects of their personalities. We aim to develop the children s knowledge about music by involving them as composers, performers, audiences and critics. The aims of Music Education at Camelsdale Primary To stimulate and develop an appreciation and enjoyment of music through active involvement in performing, composing and listening. To develop aesthetic sensitivity and creative ability in all pupils. To develop skills and concepts necessary for participation in a musical activity. To develop personal and social skills necessary for participation in group music-making. To develop the capacity to express ideas and emotions through the medium of music. To develop an awareness of the musical traditions of this and other societies, in a cultural and historical context and to encourage a broad, open-minded approach to all kinds of music. To develop a response to sound/music. To encourage the development of memory and acquisition of skills of a more general nature such as analysis, inventiveness and coordination. Entitlement Music is taught to every child from Year 1 on a weekly basis by the specialist music teacher. At Key stage 1 the time allocation is about 40 minutes per week, equivalent to 4% of our time. At Key stage 2 the time allocation is between 30 minutes to 1 hour per week, equivalent to 5% of our time depending on whether the music teacher is covering PPA time, where the session is longer.

2 All pupils regardless of ability are entitled to a wide experience of the three inter-related skills: o Controlling sounds through singing and playing o Creating and developing musical ideas o Responding and reviewing. Appropriate provision is made for children who need to use aids or special equipment to enable them to access the curriculum e.g. those children with sensory impairment or physical disability. The scheme of work Controlling sounds through singing and playing; creating and developing musical ideas. This involves playing and singing by ear and from different types of notation. Activities will provide children with opportunities to create their own rhythms, accompaniment to songs as well as composing their own compositions in groups. The activities largely involve whole class groups with some small group work, but limitations on space do make group work more challenging. Through these activities children develop: o vocal skills o listening skills o a repertoire of instrumental sound o motor skills necessary for instrumental playing o the capacity to express ideas and feelings through sounds o social skills and an awareness of others o performance/presentation skills o the ability to communicate musical ideas o critical skills and the ability to refine and improve their work o recording skills Composition is taught as a group or whole class activity. Children are encouraged to explore the sounds available to them and to develop a sound vocabulary. The skills necessary to control and play musical instruments successfully are acquired through a combination of demonstration, experimentation and practice. Through composition children are introduced to the concept of notation. Opportunities to perform There are plenty of opportunities to perform at Camelsdale Primary e.g. at the Harvest Festival Service, Christingle Service, Christmas Production, Easter Service, Camelsdale s Festival of Music, Summer Concert, Annual vocal project involving upper KS2 primary children with the choristers of Chichester cathedral, Rother Valley Arts Festival and the Young Voices Concert at the O2 Arena. Whole classes, groups and individuals will work towards these events so that musical performance is seen as inclusive and open to any child regardless of their level of musical attainment. Children sing regularly as a class and as a whole school. The String Ensemble and recorder groups also perform in public e.g. assemblies, church services, talent assemblies and in the school concerts. Midhurst Rother College host music experience days each year: 1) All the Year 5 pupils take part in a Big Sing involving most of the Year 5 pupils in the Rother Valley and led by a singing teacher from West Sussex Music. 2) Most of the Year 2 s in the Rother Valley take part in a similar event at MRC known as the Little Big Sing. 3) An Orchestra Day is also organised each year at MRC for all primary aged pupils who have reached a certain standard on their orchestral instrument. This is led by the Head of Music at MRC. Responding and reviewing This is concerned with listening to a wide variety of music from different cultures and historical periods and includes the children s own compositions. The activities will provide opportunities for whole class performances and will also encourage smaller group work on refining their own compositions.

3 Through these activities and opportunities children will develop: o the ability to work and cooperate with others social skills o critical listening skills o analytical listening skills (recognition of the musical elements) o the ability to place musical styles in their historical context o knowledge and understanding of a range of individual musical works o an understanding of musical terminology and the ability to use it o the ability to review their own work and make improvements All children engage in listening activities of increasing length and complexity. Children listen to a wide variety of music including their own compositions. They are encouraged to comment critically on what they hear, and to develop an appropriate musical vocabulary. Music chosen for listening as part of the music curriculum always involve a specific focus, which will relate to the practical work being carried out. To give further opportunities for listening and to enable the children to experience live music of high quality, visits from professional ensembles are arranged. Year 5 pupils choose the music to be played in assemblies. Implementation Practical music making is central to all pupils work in this subject. Children have access to a wide range of musical instruments including tuned and untuned percussion, guitars, orchestral instruments and electronic keyboards. The basis of all our class music teaching is: o Controlling sounds through singing and playing o Creating and developing musical ideas o Responding and reviewing These skills are supported by: o Listening and applying knowledge and understanding: o How sounds are organised o How music is produced o How the context influences how music is created, performed and heard. During Key Stage 1 pupils are taught to: Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes Play tuned and untuned instruments musically Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music During Key Stage 2 pupils are taught to: Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory Use and understand staff and other musical notations Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians Instrumental Tuition In year 2, pupils may opt to play the recorder in a beginners recorder club. Peripatetic staff provide instrumental lessons for all year groups in violin, flute, piano, guitars & ukulele. Lessons are offered in groups of 4 or for some instruments individually. There is a charge for this.

4 Music, Special Needs and Gifted and Talented Children Musical activities are planned in a way which encourages full participation from every child. Music is a subject which lends itself to the accommodation of a wide range of abilities and aptitudes. Music studied is chosen to meet the varied needs of the children in each class and also to ensure progression as musical development and interest increases. Provision is made for musically gifted children through the Enrichment Programme and those who have progressed to the appropriate level can take part in County residential Music Courses. Music and Equal Opportunities Equal value and consideration is given to music from all cultures. Every child is given the same opportunities to perform to a variety of audiences. Music studied and songs learned are of interest to both boys and girls. Music and Health and Safety Children are taught correct methods of playing and handling instruments and equipment. All children learn the safe and appropriate use of equipment which uses mains supply electricity. Music Resources and Funding In the past the PTA have provided money which has gone towards building up the schools supply of percussion instruments. Collections made at the end of the Festival of Music and Summer concerts also go towards purchasing new instruments. Musical instruments are stored on shelves in cupboards or in the corner of the music studio. Staff resources for music are held in the music studio. Peripatetic instrumental lessons take place in the music studio when available, if not in one of the school s group work rooms. Extra-Curricular Activities Lunch time recorder clubs are offered to pupils from Year 2. These enable them to play in a variety of ensembles. A String Ensemble is led by the visiting violin teacher. The group meets at lunchtime. A large Choir, numbering around 70, runs weekly on a Friday morning from pm and is open to any pupils from Years 4-6. An after-school session from pm is also used if there is a special performance which requires extra rehearsals eg. the Young Voices concert at the 02 Arena. Assessment Assessment in music has been revised to fall in line with the new National Curriculum which stipulates that no levels will be awarded. The ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians) have produced a very clear Assessment and progression framework which is designed to help teachers plan and assess musical learning with example statements at four different stages of a child s musical development eg. with singing an example statement from stage A is: Sing broadly in tune within a limited pitch range ; from stage B: Sing in tune within a limited pitch range and perform with a good sense of pulse and rhythm ; from stage C: Sing with an appropriate vocal range with clear diction, mostly accurate tuning, control of breathing and appropriate tone ; and from stage D: Maintain an independent part in a group when singing or playing. Statements like this and appropriate to the age of the children are put onto each classes assessment sheet, which is then recorded during lessons by the music teacher or the TA with support from the music teacher as formative assessment using the following 3 levels: - Is not yet able to = Is able to demonstrate this skill + Is confidently able to demonstrate this skill to a good level

5 Staff have agreed a three-point marking system which identifies children as achieving the expected level, working towards that level, or exceeding expectations for that level. At the end of the year an overall judgement is made for each pupil on whether they are Emerging, Working within or have Achieved the expected outcomes for their age. Our emphasis is on improving the quality of the children s achievements. Note is made of the progress made in the process of music making as well as the product. Different methods of assessment including pupil self-assessment, pupils assessment of each other and teacher assessment are adopted depending on the nature of the task. Most assessment in music is carried out through observation and by questioning. Pupils demonstrate their understanding of the work covered through their ability to assess themselves and each other. Progress reports are sent to parents at the end of the Summer term. Parents are invited to discuss their child s progress with the class teacher once each term. Where appropriate, note is taken of any participation in extra musical activities both in and out of school. Date: January 2017 Review Date: January 2018 Subject Leader: Miss Juliet Robinson