Intent
Why do we teach this? Why do we teach it the way we do?

At North Leigh School, children are encouraged to develop a lifelong love of music and to feel confident that they can be musicians if this is the path that they choose. We focus on the development of the skills, knowledge and understanding that children need to be confident performers, composers and listeners. Our curriculum introduces children to music from all around the world and across generations, teaching children to respect and appreciate music from all traditions and communities.

Using the Charanga scheme of work, informed by the National Curriculum and the Model Music Curriculum, children learn music through a progression of skills in order to develop the musical skills of singing, playing tuned and untuned instruments, improvising and composing music, and listening and responding to music. This will enable children to meet end of Key Stage expectations. They will develop an understanding of the history and cultural context of the music they hear and learn how music is written down.

At North Leigh School, we want children to use the music curriculum as a vehicle to develop transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, creative thinking, problem solving, decision making and presentation. These skills are vital to children’s development as learners and have a wider context in their general lives and beyond school.

Implementation:
What do we teach? What does this look like?

The Charanga scheme of music meets all of the requirements of the statutory National Curriculum for Music, providing a programme from Early Years to Year 6. The scheme enables teachers to engage children with a fun, holistic, differentiated, spiral approach to musical teaching and learning that is easy to use and applies the latest pedagogical thinking in an accessible way.

In each lesson, children actively participate in musical activities drawn from a wide range of styles and traditions. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work, to teacher led performances. A differentiated approach is adopted so that lessons can be accessed by all pupils.

Interrelated dimensions of music weave through the units to encourage the development of musical skills as the learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing. Children will then become confident with these elements of music and use them expressively in their own improvisations and compositions. Key musical vocabulary is introduced progressively throughout the series of lessons, ensuring that children are able to understand the new vocabulary when it is used in teaching and learning activities and apply it themselves when they approach their work.

Themes are revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and children revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This approach enables children to know more and remember more in music, ensuring connections in their understanding are embedded.

Following the Model Music curriculum guidance, children in Year 4 at North Leigh School follow a specialist whole class cornet teaching programme led by a brass teacher from the Oxfordshire Music service. This weekly lesson builds on the prior learning of musical skills in school and ensures children move into Upper Key Stage 2 with greater technical knowledge and skills.

Children in Key Stage 2 are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular choir activities which aim to foster a love for singing and music, working towards concerts and performances such as the Oxfordshire Big Sing. The choir perform at seasonal get together opportunities in school and community events, as well in-school celebration of music concerts which inspires other children to sing and participate in future musical activities. Additionally, there are opportunities for children to participate in piano and guitar lessons with a peripatetic tutor. Children have opportunities to celebrate the musical skills and knowledge they have learned outside of the school curriculum during Celebrate Music events.

Impact
By the time children leave our school they will:

• be confident performers, composers and listeners and be able to express themselves musically both at school and beyond school within the context of their own wellbeing
• be able to show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and understand how music is influenced by global, social and historical contexts
• understand ways in which music can be written and recorded to support performance and composition
• demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and identify their own musical preferences
• meet the end of Key Stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Music.

Progress in music is monitored through observation and review of children’s work over time as they gain skills and knowledge. Their practical work is observed in lessons and their pupil voices are heard through talking to them about what they know and enjoy about music. At North Leigh we aim for the Music curriculum to contribute to children’s personal development in creativity, independence and self-reflection. We also recognise and embrace the positive impact that listening to and engaging in music has on improving children’s mental health and well-being.

North Leigh School Music development plan 2024-2025
Music Curriculum and Progression of skills

We get to learn different types of music which is really fun. I like music as you express yourself differently.

I like music because I like singing and listening to different sounds and beats. I like music it brings out your talents.

I like music because you learn new melodies and rhythms. You get to find out your favourite type of music.

Extra-Curricular Music
Music Concert	Cornet End of Year Performance
Learning how to play the steel pan!	Rowan and Willow Production 2023
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air	Christmas concert 2022
Choir at Christmas	Choir at The Big Sing 2022