Music
Curriculum Rationale
Music is a unique way of communicating that can inspire and motivate children. Music reflects the culture and society we live in, and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world they live in. We provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills to appreciate the wide variety of musical forms and to begin to make judgements about the quality of music through the scheme Sing Up. Singing is widely celebrated at Benington as a means of supporting our well being.
Intent
- At Benington, children will gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.
- We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music.
- We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.
Implementation
- The music curriculum is embedded in the classroom through the structured music programme provided by Sing Up as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, musical clubs and teaching from specialist music teachers.
- Children learn how to compose, focusing on different genres of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical skills without the added complexity of an instrument.
- We are members of Herts Tea & Symphony and all children have recorder lessons.
Impact
- Children have access to a varied programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon.
- The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection.
- Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world.
- Children enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse.
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
Benington are proud of the music at our school and encourage pupils to participate in extra curricular activities. We hold a singing assembly every week and our choir perform regularly in St Peter’s Church on Mothering Sunday and at Christmas. Children also have the opportunity to learn the keyboard, guitar, bass guitar, voice or drum kit taking part in Rock Steady. Lessons are also available to learn to play violin, flute, clarinet, saxophone and voice.
Department of Education’s Statutory Guidance on the Music CurriculumBarriers to and solutions for Engagement, Progress and Achievement in Music
