Eastcourt
Independent School
Music
Music lessons are led by a specialist teacher. The curriculum provides opportunities for children to participate in music-making activities as they listen to, perform and compose real music from a range of genres, cultures and styles.
Intent
Our music lessons aim to ensure that all pupils:
● perform, listen to, review and evaluate music.
● are taught to sing, create and compose music.
● understand and explore how music is created, produced, and communicated.
At Eastcourt, the intention is that children 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 aim to help children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and to ensure that they are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music in a variety of different contexts.
Implementation
Our music curriculum ensures that students listen, sing, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in specific lessons as well as assemblies, concerts and productions, the learning of instruments, and the junior choir. The elements of music are taught in lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. Pupils learn how to play different tuned and untuned percussion instruments as they progress through the school, exploring rhythm as well as how to read picture notation before looking at basic music notation. They also learn how to compose. They explore ways of writing down their ideas, so they remember their composition and for others to follow them. This feeds their understanding when listening to, playing, or analysing music. There is also an understanding that music and movement are linked, and the curriculum reflects this.
Impact
Pupils have access to a varied musical programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas that they might like to improve upon. They develop a sense of achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Pupils have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to pupils individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Pupils are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, performer or creator.
Pupils have numerous opportunities to develop their skills in music and drama. Every year, the children put on an Infant Christmas Show, an Easter and end-of-year production, celebrations for different festivals and Infant and Junior concerts. Assemblies regularly include singing and drama too.
Musical opportunities are encouraged from an early age and talents are nurtured through the extra-curricular activities run by music specialists on the school staff. Children receive peripatetic instrumental lessons during lunchtimes on instruments, currently piano, recorder and guitar.
Our instrumentalists have opportunities throughout the year to perform in assemblies and inter house activities and to friends and families in the annual music recital.
