MANOR ROAD PRIMARY SCHOOL MUSIC POLICY May 2011
Manor Road Primary School Music Policy INTRODUCTION This policy reflects the school values and philosophy in relation to the teaching and learning of Music. It sets out a framework within which teaching and non-teaching staff can operate and gives guidance on planning, teaching and assessment. This document is intended for all teaching staff, school governors and parents. AIMS Music is a powerful and unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. It increases self-discipline and creativity, aesthetic sensitivity and fulfillment. At Manor Road Primary School children learn through practical involvement in a wide range of musical experiences and music-making to develop skills in performing, composing and appraising. By engaging children in making and responding to music, music teaching offers opportunities for them to: develop their understanding and appreciation of a wide range of different kinds of music, developing and extending their own interests and increasing their ability to make judgements of musical quality; acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make music, for example in community music-making, and, where appropriate, to follow a music-related career; develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can support learning in other subject areas and that are needed for life and work, for example listening skills, the ability to concentrate, creativity, intuition, aesthetic sensitivity, perseverance, self-confidence and sensitivity towards others. CURRICULUM AND SCHOOL ORGANISATION The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in Music lessons. The principal aim is to develop children s knowledge, skills and understanding in Music. Teachers ensure that the children develop acute listening skills and apply their developing knowledge and understanding when performing, composing and appraising. We do this through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual or group activities. Within lessons, we give children the opportunity both to work on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children s ideas and treating these with respect. Children critically evaluate their own performance and compositions and those of others, including music of western and other 2
cultures. They have the opportunity to use a wide range of instruments and resources, including ICT. In all classes there are children of differing ability. We recognise this fact and provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this through a range of strategies: setting common tasks that are open-ended and can have a variety of results; setting tasks of increasing difficulty where not all children complete all tasks; grouping children by ability, and setting different tasks for each group; providing a range of challenges through the provision of different resources; using additional adults to support the work of individual children or small groups. SUBJECT PLANNING Music is a foundation subject in the National Curriculum. Our school now plans using a skill based approach. This enables Music to be taught with and through other subjects in a variety of overriding topics. Some teachers may still use the QCA or Music Express scheme of work as a basis for their planning in Music or adapt it to fit with the current topic. Focused skills are also taught as discrete elements where appropriate, normally to re-enforce or teach skills that children will be required to apply in forthcoming themes. We carry out the curriculum planning in Music in three phases: long-term, medium-term and short-term. The long-term plan maps out the coverage of key skills and objectives covered in each term during the key stage and also suggests a number of topic based ideas. Our medium-term plans are completed using as a stimulus the set of skills that must be covered in any given Key Stage. Class teachers are then able to identify learning objectives and outcomes for each unit, and ensure an appropriate balance and distribution of work across each term. The QCA or Music Express scheme, where used, gives details of each unit of work for each term and can be adapted to suit the needs and abilities of children in each class and to link with other topics and areas of the curriculum. Linked with the medium term plan, class teachers complete a session plan for each Music lesson. These list the specific learning objectives and expected outcomes for each lesson, and detail how the lessons are to be taught for all abilities and how learning will be assessed. We plan the activities in Music so that they build on the prior learning of the children. We give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding, and we also build planned progression into the scheme of work, so that the children are increasingly challenged as they move through the school. 3
The Foundation Stage We encourage the development of skills, knowledge and understanding that help reception children make sense of their world as an integral part of the school s work. As the reception class is part of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, we relate the development of music to Creative Development objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals. These underpin the curriculum planning for children aged three to five. This learning forms the foundations for later work in Music. These early experiences include the opportunity to sing, explore sounds and dance and/or move to music. In particular, our pupils will learn to recognise and explore how sounds can be changed; sing simple songs from memory; recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns; and match movements to music. They will also learn to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by singing a variety of songs and using musical instruments. Key Stage 1 During key stage 1 children will learn to listen carefully and respond physically to a wide range of different kinds of music. They will play musical instruments and sing a variety of songs from memory, adding accompaniments and creating short compositions, with increasing confidence, imagination and control. They will explore and enjoy the way sounds and silence can create different moods and effects. Key Stage 2 During key stage 2 children will sing songs and play instruments to develop increasing confidence, skill, expression and awareness of their own contribution to a group or class performance. They will have opportunities to improvise, and develop their own musical compositions, in response to a variety of different stimuli, with increasing personal involvement, independence and creativity. They will explore their thoughts and feelings through responding physically, intellectually and emotionally to a variety of different kinds of music from different times and cultures. The Scheme of Work The scheme of work is reviewed on a cyclical basis to ensure that the required Programmes of Study are taught during each key stage. See Appendix 1 and 2 for Progression of Skills and coverage of Programmes of Study (Appendix 2 under development). CLASS ORGANISATION AND TEACHING STYLE Within classes pupils are taught individually, in groups or as a class when appropriate. It is recognised that through group work co-operation, effective learning and understanding are promoted, but to ensure differentiation, matching and assessment children may work individually or as a class. 4
The majority of lessons will be practical and all will involve concentrated listening, performing, composing and appraising. RESOURCES AND ACCOMMODATION Our school has a wide range of resources to support the teaching of Music across the school. These are mainly kept in central locations but can be located for ease of access and exploration in music areas of the classroom as appropriate. It is the class teacher s responsibility to collect and return resources after use and inform the subject leader of specific requests for resources. External teachers will provided or signposted for pupils who wish to take up instrumental tuition. The school will have some instruments available but they will generally be provided by parents who will also pay tuition fees. INCLUSION At our school we teach Music to all children, whatever their ability and individual needs. Music complements the school curriculum policy of providing a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our Music teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress. We strive hard to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those with special gifts and talents, and those learning English as an additional language, and we take all reasonable steps to achieve this. When progress falls significantly outside the expected range, the child may have special educational needs. Our assessment process looks at a range of factors classroom organisation, teaching materials, teaching style, differentiation so that we can take some additional or different action to enable the child to learn more effectively. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES It is the responsibility of all teachers to ensure that all pupils, irrespective of gender, ability, including gifted pupils, ethnicity and social circumstance, have access to the curriculum and make the greatest progress possible. ASSESSMENT Assessment is used to inform future planning and to provide information about individuals throughout their time in this school. Assessment techniques will ensure that teachers assess the on-going learning process and not just the finished outcomes. 5
These techniques should include: teachers' observation of pupils teacher pupil discussion and teacher questioning pupils' drawings, notes, models, comments and written work pupils' on-going analysis of their achievements photographs of children engaged in Music activities use of ICT as appropriate Assessment must match statutory requirements for the subject, teacher assessment is statutory. Work will be assessed in line with the Assessment, Recording and Reporting Policy. Targets will be set and reviewed termly. RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING Records of pupils' achievements are kept to: plan pupils' future learning report progress to parents maintain a written record of pupils' learning provide a curricular record for each pupil fulfil legal requirements Information on a child s progress in Music will be communicated to parents in a written report at the end of each academic year. SUBJECT LEADER ROLE The teacher responsible for co-ordinating Music is Tracy Lucas and her role is described in her job description. This may include the following: plan work with teachers review and contribute to teacher planning prepare policy and scheme of work develop policy and scheme of work with staff liaise with transfer school staff prepare a subject development plan leading staff meetings plan and lead inset activities provide consultancy, advice, skills in-class teaching support specifying and ordering resources in consultation with staff monitoring and maintaining condition and availability of resources 6
monitoring teaching and learning in Music EVALUATION The Music subject leader gives the head teacher and board of governors an annual report in which she evaluates the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and indicates areas for further improvement. The subject leader is specially allocated management time in order to review evidence of the quality of teaching and learning across the school according to the priority schedule of foundation subjects. Such evidence should take into account: pupils' achievements coverage of programmes of study analysis of teacher planning staff development classroom observation external inspection/advice Policy written by: Tracy Lucas Policy written: May 2011 Policy reviewed: as required 7
Skills and Progression in Music Appendix 1 Progression in music is shown through the different expectations at each key stage. The information in the following table is based on level 2 being the expectation for the majority of children at the end of key stage 1 and level 4 being the expectation for the majority of children at the end of key stage 2. The aim should be to enable children to achieve these expectations with confidence, independence and ownership. By the end of year 2, most children will have attained level 2 and will be able to recognise and explore how sounds can be organised. For example, they will: sing with a sense of the shape of the melody perform simple patterns (rhythmic and melodic) and accompaniments, keeping to a steady pulse By the end of year 4, most children will have attained level 3 and will be able to recognise and explore the ways sounds can be combined and used expressively. For example, they will: sing in tune, with expression perform rhythmically simple parts that use a limited range of notes By the end of year 6, most children will have attained level 4 and will be able to identify and explore the relationship between sounds and how music reflects different intentions. For example, they will: maintain their own part with awareness of how the different parts fit together and the need to achieve an overall effect choose carefully and order sounds within simple structures in response to given starting points represent sounds with symbols recognise how the musical elements can be used to create different moods and effects improvise repeated patterns and combine several layers of sound with awareness of the combined effect use symbols to recall, plan, and explore sounds recognise how the different musical elements are combined and used expressively improvise melodic and rhythmic phrases as part of a group performance compose by developing ideas within musical structures perform by ear and from simple notations describe, compare and evaluate different kinds of music using an appropriate musical vocabulary 8
improve their own work make improvements to their own work, commenting on the intended effect suggest improvements to their own and others' work, commenting on how intentions have been achieved There are three ways in which children make progress in music. These are: progression in the breadth of experience, for example increasing the range of: o kinds of music used as stimuli for making and responding to music, including different musical styles, genres and traditions, and moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar; o other forms of stimulus used, including poetry, dance, pictures and children's own feelings; o musical activities in and out of the classroom and the school; o knowledge, skills and understanding that are taught and learned through children's own work; progression in the challenge/demand of the experience and depth of learning, for example increasing the: o children's level of engagement with the music and musical experience; o length and complexity of rhythmic and melodic material, developing children's ability to sing in tune and play rhythmically; o subtlety of the expressive use of tempo, dynamics, timbre and texture; o length of children's aural memory and their accurate use of notations; o children's understanding of the musical elements, processes and contexts and their ability to make more complex connections between areas of knowledge and skill; progression in the quality of the outcome, for example increasing: o children's confidence, independence and ownership; o children's musical sensitivity and expression (playing a simple piece better); o the creativity of children's responses, for example so that they produce unexpected outcomes; o children's ability to communicate their own intentions through music. Just as it is possible to speak without meaning or sense, it is possible to sing or play an instrument in a way that is not musical. The fundamental aim of music education is to help children appreciate and achieve musical quality. Quality can be seen from the very earliest stages and levels and in all experiences. Musical quality is difficult to define, but it can be seen in the way that one performance will completely engage the listener, while another performance will not. Quality in music is not just dependent on accuracy, but instead on the way that sounds are used expressively. For example, a musical response can communicate a mood or feeling very strongly even though some notes may be missed or played inaccurately. Musical quality requires confidence, independence and ownership, and these characteristics need to be developed constantly. 9
In music it is much better to revisit and consolidate learning than to constantly attempt to try new things. The aim should be to do more of less in order to achieve quality. This scheme of work is based on a limited number of units, many of which should be revisited at least once during each of the two-year programmes (for years 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6). Each unit identifies a 'key learning objective' that is described in the 'About this unit' section on the front of the unit. These objectives form a series of 'stepping stones' that enable the children to progress through the key stage. The three dimensions of progression in music described above are reflected in the eight national curriculum levels for the subject. Increasing challenge/demand is shown in progression across the levels, ie from level 1 to level 8. Breadth/Range is shown both across and within each level. Quality is shown within each level. Strands of progression Progression in challenge/demand, breadth/range and quality in the scheme of work is defined within the following strands: ongoing skills - singing, listening and responding, for example through movement or dance; descriptive skills - using and controlling the expressive musical elements; disciplined skills - rhythmic skills, which develop the sense of pulse and rhythm, and melodic skills, which develop the sense of pitch and phrase; ensemble skills - performing the music of others. The table 'strands of progression across the units' shows how skills can be developed in this scheme of work. Musical literacy is developed within all these strands. The strands provide a focus that enables teachers to integrate the knowledge, skills and understanding in the national curriculum programmes of study. For example, in Unit 2 'Sounds interesting', which focuses on descriptive sounds, children develop performing, composing and appraising skills and apply relevant knowledge and understanding. In the primary phase, in particular, aspects from each of the statutory requirements should be developed in every unit of work. Ongoing skills Ongoing skills - singing 10
Progression in singing lies at the heart of the music curriculum because the voice is the most immediate instrument. It provides the means to share music-making spontaneously with others regardless of age, gender, background and ability. Very few children are unable to sing if they are given help. Most people, including teachers, who feel that they cannot sing have just not received the right help at the right time. While some children will be able to sing in tune with little help, many children will need to be taught how to find and control their singing voice. It can be helpful to remember that some children have a voice that is naturally higher or lower than other children and that they may therefore find it difficult to match the pitch of the song if it is not within their natural range. For those who find it difficult to find a given note, it can be effective to let them sing their own first note then help them make their voice go higher or lower. Try letting them start the song. Some children will need much reinforcement to begin to recognise how they can make their voices change in pitch. The ongoing skills units (Units 1, 8 and 15) include many activities that will help children develop their singing skills. Ongoing skills - listening and responding Teachers need to help children extend the length of music to which they will listen attentively. Suggesting points to listen for and playing music while children are involved in other quiet activities can help. Children like what they know. So a key aim for music education is to help children get to know a wide range of different kinds of music through repeated listening. The younger the child, the more open he or she is to unfamiliar music. So key stage 1 and the early part of key stage 2 should use as wide a range of different kinds of music as possible. Descriptive, disciplined and ensemble skills Descriptive and disciplined skills One of the most interesting outcomes from the development of this scheme of work for music has been the recognition of the need to make a distinction between descriptive skills, for example the ability to use sounds to describe stories and pictures, and disciplined skills, for example a sense of pulse and pitch. The development of descriptive skills is essential because it enables children to explore the way sounds can communicate both concrete and abstract images. Children tend to find it easier at first to make sound effects, for example the sound of a dripping tap, but they should be encouraged to explore the more abstract use of sounds, for example sounds that could describe a country scene or sounds that are pleasing in themselves. The development of disciplined skills is also vital for all children if they are to progress in subsequent key stages. For example, a child who has not developed a sense of pulse will find it very difficult to contribute to group and class performances of songs and published music. Without this skill they cannot access many areas of community music-making. The 11
development of disciplined skills must be done in ways that involve musical expression, for example children recognising that the pulse may slow down at the end of a piece of music and that subtle changes of timbre and dynamics can make music sound more interesting. Descriptive and disciplined skills should not be developed in isolation. For example, in some units the descriptive-skill activities lead into disciplined-skill activities and vice versa. Towards the end of key stage 2 there is less of a need to make the distinction between the two types of skill: children should be encouraged to use both in most work. By key stage 3 the two types of skill should be fully integrated. Ensemble skills Children should be helped to understand how every performer has an important contribution to make and that the success of the end result is dependent on how well the group and class can work together. In addition, children should learn how to interpret music written by others, for example how to achieve and increase an intended effect. And they should learn about making arrangements and using improvisation to develop given ideas. Musical literacy The national curriculum requires that children should develop the ability to use a range of notations in relevant musical traditions. This could include, for example, learning about chord symbols when exploring music in a popular tradition, about mnemonics for some African and Indian musical genres, and about western staff notation for instrumental and vocal music within the western classical tradition. Within this progression there are many smaller steps, for example, when notating what they hear, key stage 1 children will often start by drawing the instrument that makes the sound. Then they may begin to describe the way the sound is made, for example, using a strong sweeping line to show the hitting of a drum. Next they may create more abstract symbols for the sounds. Most notations tend to lie within the abstract, for example a picture such as diagram A for four sounds played with an equal time between them. Children should become familiar with different ways in which sounds can be represented. This should include the way that sounds are described in western staff notation, although, at this stage, accurate reading and writing of staff notation are not requirements. Many music educators believe that staff notation should not be introduced all in one go but should be built up over several years. This could involve developing children's understanding of the rhythmic symbols first (see diagram B) before exploring melodic lines and the ways pitch is shown (see diagram C). Only when both aspects are secure - when children can 'read' them confidently - should they be brought together in the established form of western staff notation. However, the use of songs written in staff notation can be a good way to help children become familiar with this form. 12
Copyright Many pieces of music that teachers will use while teaching this scheme of work will be protected by copyright, either because the composer or writer is still alive or because he or she died less than 70 years ago. The following information should help clarify the position in relation to the use of copyright music in the classroom. Copyright provides both the means by which composers are paid for each use of their work, and a framework that encourages investment in new composers. (It is important to remember that the future livelihoods of some of today's schoolchildren will one day depend upon the recognition of the copyright of their creative work - whether musical, literary or artistic - and proper payment being made for it.) The copyright regime in this country allows teachers a certain amount of latitude in the classroom in recognition of the value of using copyright material in education and of the need for teachers and pupils to have reasonable access to it. The system therefore represents a careful balance between the interests of copyright-owners and educationalists. For the purpose of instruction in the classroom and in their preparation for lessons, teachers may: freely transcribe music in hand; make copies of short excerpts of musical works (but not whole movements); arrange works in a way that is not prejudicial to the honour or reputation of the original composer (subject to crediting the composer and attaching a warning lable in a prescribed form); do whatever may be necessary to set exams (other than for the purposes of examining a performance of a work). Music may also be performed and recordings of music played freely in the classroom for the purposes of instruction. However, permission must be obtained prior to any copying, performance or other use of a musical work outside the classroom, either directly from the copyright-owner or from a body operating a licensing scheme on behalf of copyright-owners. Further information can be obtained from www.licensing-copyright.org.uk 13