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Music
Intent
At Thurgoland CE Primary School, we believe that music is a powerful form of expression that enriches children’s lives, nurtures creativity and brings people together. Rooted in our Christian vision, ‘To be, and become, your Best Self’, our music curriculum inspires every child to develop confidence, resilience and a lifelong enjoyment of music.
Music at Thurgoland is practical, inclusive and performance-rich. We believe every child should experience the joy of making music and have opportunities to express themselves creatively. Through listening, singing, playing instruments, improvising, composing and performing, pupils develop musical knowledge, skills and vocabulary while learning to collaborate, persevere and communicate with confidence.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the Kapow Primary Music Scheme, providing a carefully sequenced, spiral curriculum which revisits and builds on prior learning from EYFS to Year 6. In Year 4, pupils follow a bespoke whole-class recorder curriculum delivered through our partnership with Barnsley Music Hub, developing instrumental expertise while continuing to build the knowledge and skills of the National Curriculum. Pupils can also continue their musical journey through instrumental tuition offered by the Music Hub and Rocksteady lessons in school.
Across the curriculum, pupils listen to and explore music from a wide range of cultures, traditions, genres and historical periods. They learn to recognise and discuss musical features, using increasingly precise musical vocabulary to explain their ideas and evaluate music.
Our curriculum is organised around five key musical concepts:
- Listening and Evaluating
- Creating Sound
- Notation
- Improvising and Composing
- Performing
These concepts are revisited and developed progressively from EYFS to Year 6, enabling pupils to deepen their knowledge, refine their skills and apply their understanding in different musical contexts.
Through our music curriculum, pupils will:
- enjoy making music and express themselves creatively
- sing, play instruments and perform with growing confidence
- listen to, appreciate and evaluate music from a wide range of cultures, genres and historical periods
- develop secure musical knowledge, skills and vocabulary
- improvise and compose using a range of musical techniques
- read and use musical notation appropriate to their stage of learning
- understand how music is created, performed and communicated
- develop resilience, creativity, collaboration and self-expression through practical music-making
- perform confidently for a range of audiences
- appreciate significant composers, musicians and musical traditions
- develop a lifelong enjoyment of music.
Implementation
Music is taught weekly from EYFS to Year 6 through a carefully sequenced curriculum which develops musical knowledge, skills and vocabulary over time. The curriculum is underpinned by the Kapow Primary Music Scheme, which follows a spiral approach, revisiting and building on prior learning. Year 4 pupils follow a bespoke whole-class recorder curriculum delivered in partnership with Barnsley Music Hub.
Lessons are practical, engaging and inclusive. Pupils develop their musical understanding through:
- listening and appraising
- singing
- playing tuned and untuned instruments
- improvising
- composing
- reading notation
- performing and reflecting.
Practical music-making is at the heart of every lesson. Teachers explicitly introduce new musical knowledge, vocabulary and techniques through modelling, questioning and practical demonstration. Pupils then apply their learning, perform individually and collaboratively, receive feedback and reflect on their own and others’ performances.
Music is enriched through:
- collective worship and singing
- KS2 choir
- performances in school and the wider community
- Year 4 whole-class recorder tuition through Barnsley Music Hub
- opportunities to continue instrumental learning through Barnsley Music Hub
- Rocksteady lessons offered in school.
The curriculum is inclusive and is adapted where necessary so that all pupils, including those with SEND, can participate fully and make progress.
Impact
Our music curriculum enables pupils to build secure musical knowledge, skills and vocabulary progressively from EYFS to Year 6. Learning is revisited and developed over time, with pupils becoming increasingly confident in listening, performing, composing, improvising and using musical notation.
We assess learning through observation, discussion and practical outcomes. Teachers use pupils’ musical responses and performances to identify what pupils know, understand and can do, and to inform future teaching.
Evidence of pupils’ musical development is captured through:
- Music Floor Books
- pupil reflection
- photographs and examples of practical learning where appropriate
- audio and video recordings of musical performances
- ongoing teacher assessment and discussion
- performances and opportunities to share learning with different audiences.
Pupils are increasingly able to use musical vocabulary to describe, explain and evaluate music, make purposeful musical choices, and reflect on and improve their own performances and compositions. The progression in the curriculum ensures that pupils develop from exploring and responding to sound in EYFS towards analysing, composing, performing and evaluating music with increasing confidence and precision by Year 6.
Ultimately, we aim for every pupil to leave Thurgoland with the knowledge, skills and confidence to continue making and enjoying music throughout their lives, recognising its power to inspire, communicate, strengthen wellbeing and bring people together.
Useful Documents
Values that are at the heart of Thurgoland
"Be, and become, your BEST SELF!"
Getting here
Halifax Road
Thurgoland
Sheffield
S35 7AL
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