Pittington Primary School

National Curriculum

Curriculum Statement
Music

"Music is what feelings sound like"
Author – Unknown

Content of the Music Curriculum
The Music Curriculum at Pittington Primary School supports and supplements the National Curriculum by reflecting the needs of our children and the context of the school.

The Music curriculum follows a theme based approach whilst offering the children a range of relevant and purposeful experiences that will enable them to develop the skills and knowledge to have a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement in music.

The children will be given opportunities to:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Assessment of Music
At Pittington Primary it is our intention that all children will at least reach their age related expectations as described in the National Curriculum. However through a curriculum that is challenging and relevant to the children we expect children to achieve greater than age related expectations.

Children who are not meeting age related expectations will be supported by staff through differentiated tasks and targeted small group work. The direct use of key questions and targeted support will be offered to ensure that any gaps between groups of children are closed.

Assessment of the children’s music skills will be assessed by the class teacher. There will be a range of evidence to support teacher judgement including video evidence, photographs and assessed pieces of work.

Monitoring of Music
The quality of the learning across the school is monitored by the Music Subject Link Teacher.

Monitoring includes the Subject Link Teacher observing learning within lessons, planning scrutiny, work scrutiny and discussions with children. Analysis of data is also undertaken to ensure that standards are high and that improvements are made where necessary.

Training is offered to all Subject Link Teachers to ensure that their knowledge and skills are up to date and accurate.

The Subject Link Teacher meets with the Special Interest Governor for Music to share school improvement plan initiatives with them and ensure that governors are aware of standards across the school.