Nelson Infant School

The National Curriculum for Music underpins our approach to the teaching of Music at Nelson. We use the Charanga Scheme of Work through the Norfolk Music Hub to ensur3e coverage and progression. Our curriculum encompasses the following key content areas:

• Active listening and appraising
• Learning about styles, genres and musical history
• The language and vocabulary of music
• Interrelated dimensions of music
• Performing on their own and in ensembles
• Learning to sing and play instruments
• Cross-curricular links to all foundation subjects
• Creating and exploring
• Learning through games

Our Music curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced to begin with a focus on pulse, rhythm and pitch. We begin thinking about, and listening to, a broad range of music on entry to Reception, linked to phonics, and creative learning. Throughout KS1, we build up the content to include a broader focus on dynamics, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and notation towards the end of KS1. The knowledge and understanding is layered to ensure firm foundations, before moving on to KS2. At Nelson, we teach Music within a clear structure in order to build knowledge incrementally. Pupils will be encouraged to use their musical knowledge and apply it across the curriculum, making linins between and within the whole range of framework and curriculum areas.

EYFS:

Music is taught across the EYFS framework. We plan for children to be exposed to a range of musical genres, with a focus on active listening and appraisal. Children are given the opportunity to listen carefully to a range of songs, rhymes and poems, paying attention to how they sound. We give them the opportunity to explore a variety of musical instruments, and to move and talk about music, expressing their feeling and responses. Children in EYFS take part in a regular music workshop with a local musician.

EYFS

Music is taught across the EYFS framework. We plan for children to be exposed to a range of musical genres, with a focus on active listening and appraisal. Children are given the opportunity to listen carefully to a range of songs, rhymes and poems, paying attention to how they sound. We give them the opportunity to explore a variety of musical instruments, and to move and talk about music, expressing their feeling and responses. Children in EYFS take part in a regular music workshop with a local musician.

Our Music curriculum builds knowledge incrementally. Lessons are sequenced and knowledge is built upon previous lessons and year groups. This helps children to master the knowledge and concepts whilst building up an extended specialist vocabulary. This incremental approach helps teachers address gaps and support children’s musical knowledge and skills.

Teachers provide a learning objective and success criteria at the start of each lesson to enable all learners to achieve their objective. We ensure that learning is adapted to support and stretch all children – teachers have good subject knowledge which allows them to scaffold learning appropriately. A knowledge organiser is shared with the children, and their families, at the beginning of each unit and the knowledge content is self-assessed throughout. Teachers use our assessment guide to make summative judgements and develop next steps for every child.

As a whole school, we provide additional provision, including:

• Weekly singing assemblies
• Half-termly singing showcases
• Singing is used to support classroom organisation
• We are developing a school song
• Extra-curricular choir club available to all pupils
• Friday disco on the playground

It is important that all children have the opportunity to work musically to develop their knowledge and skills. We use music to embed knowledge and understanding across the curriculum, for example singing maths times-tables, writing songs linked to thematic content, and using popular songs to reinforce knowledge and concepts e.g. Pantosaurus, 7 Continents etc.