Over the course of our journey from Year 1 to Year 6, we experience music from different countries, cultures, decades and genres!

MUSIC

At Barming Pre-School and Primary School we understand that music is a unique way of communicating that can inspire and motivate children. It is a vehicle for personal expression, and it can play an important part in the personal development of people. 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. Besides being a creative and enjoyable activity, music can also be a highly academic and demanding subject. It also plays an important part in helping children feel part of a community. We provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills, to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms and to begin to make judgements about the quality of music.

We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Singing lies at the heart of good music teaching. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to sing in tune and with other people.

In Early Years, we teach music as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. Both classes follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and relate the musical aspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). These underpin the curriculum planning for children. Music contributes to a child’s personal and social development. Counting songs foster a child’s mathematical ability, and songs from different cultures increase a child’s knowledge and understanding of the world.

In Key Stage 1, children focus on the skills of listening, performing and evaluating music. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. They will learn how to add a simple melodic or rhythmical accompaniment to music that they have learned. We teach them to listen to and appreciate different forms of music, by introducing music from a range of cultures and historical areas.  In Year 2, children learn to play the 4-note ocarina, and begin to understand how to play as a group and follow picture notation for each note.

As children get older, moving into Key Stage 2, we expect them to maintain their concentration for longer, and to listen to more extended pieces of music. Children develop descriptive skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent feelings and emotions. We teach them the disciplined skills of recognising pulse and pitch. We often teach these together. We also teach children to make music together, to understand musical notation, and to compose pieces. In Year 3, the children learn to play the recorder, and begin to understand how to read music on the traditional musical stave. They develop this further in Year 4, when they are given the opportunity to learn to play an instrument for multiple terms.

Children are offered the opportunity to extend their musical understanding by studying a musical instrument with peripatetic teachers. We currently work closely with Cult Status who provide guitar, keyboard and drum tuition, as well as private music teachers to teach some instrumental lessons (Violin, trumpet, cornet, clarinet, flute). We also have a group called 'Rock, Steady' who teach the children in small groups (bands). Parents who want their children to participate in the scheme must purchase or hire the instrument and pay the additional music lesson fees on a termly basis. (Bursaries are available in certain circumstances through SoundHub, (formally Kent Music) and parents should approach the school office if they wish to take advantage of this.)  These lessons are normally taught to small groups of children or in some cases, individually. This is in addition to the normal music teaching of the school, and usually takes place during normal lessons, from which children are withdrawn for the duration of the instrumental lesson.

Intent

At Barming Pre-School and Primary School, we hope to foster a lifelong love of music by exposing pupils to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music.   By listening and responding to different musical styles, finding their voices as singers and performers and as composers, all will enable them to become confident, reflective musicians. 

The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Create and compose music on their own and with others.
• Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock etc.
• Can sing and use their voices individually and in a group.
• Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their own work.
• Make judgements about the quality of music.
• Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments.
• Have different opportunities to take part in performances.
• Use technology appropriately when composing.
• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument.
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.
• Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions.

Implementation

• Children at Barming Primary School participate in a weekly music lesson.   We make use of the online musical resource Kapow for delivery of music across the school.

• Kapow planning is used by teachers to drive children’s development within music. Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills.   This serves as a base to aid and enhance our teaching, but is not intended to be rigidly adhered to.  
• Lessons provide opportunities for children to develop practical skills and progress by listening and appraising, singing, playing, composing, and performing.
• There is clear progression of playing instruments through the school with Year 2 learning to play the ocarinas, Year 3 learning the recorder and Year 4 the ukulele.
• We promote an enjoyment and foster interest of music through musical workshops like Rock Steady and other extra- curricular opportunities such as the Young Voices School Choir and Ukulele Club.
• Pupils experiencing difficulties are be given extra encouragement by working in small groups with the teacher/ support staff or with a more musically able child.
• Instrumental groups are encouraged to perform in Assembly whenever performances are ready to be heard. The Rock Steady group perform to parents at least twice a year!
• Kapow is supplemented by the subject leaders and the teacher’s own input to match and compliment the creative curriculum.  The scheme also provides the necessary details, activities, accompaniments and recordings to support our music teaching.
• Music skills and skills progression are monitored, as is the delivery of music.
•  Resources: We have a range of music equipment and resources that can easily be moved around the school.
• There are a number of other tuned instruments including: Keyboard, piano, guitars, tambourines, drums, bells and more.
• Access to Kapow resources is available to all staff.

Impact
 

Whilst in school, children have opportunities to make their own musical journey, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon.   The nature of music and the learner creates opportunities from which a child may access 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 students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world.  Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose - either as a listener, creator or performer.   They can discuss music and comprehend its parts.   They can sing, add rhythms and create melodies in a group and they can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.

We love MUSIC here at Barming Pre-School and Primary School and so should you.

Here are the reasons why:

1. Musical training helps develop language and reasoning: Children who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.

2. A mastery of memorisation: Even when performing with sheet music, child musicians are constantly using their memory to perform. The skill of memorisation can serve children well in education and beyond.

3. Increased coordination: Children who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music.

4. A sense of achievement: Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Children who master even the smallest goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievement.

5. Better SAT scores: Children who have experience with music performance or appreciation score higher on the SATs. One report indicates 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on maths for children in music appreciation courses.

6. Fine-tuned auditory skills: Musicians can better detect meaningful, information-bearing elements in sounds, like the emotional meaning in a baby’s cry. Children who practice music can have better auditory attention, and pick out predictable patterns from surrounding noise.

7. Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity: Introducing music in the early childhood years can help foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity. Artistic education develops the whole brain and develops a child’s imagination.

8. Music can be relaxing: Children can fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially helpful in helping us relax.

9. Musical instruments can teach discipline: Children who learn to play an instrument can learn a valuable lesson in discipline. They will have to set time aside to practice and rise to the challenge of learning with discipline to master playing their instrument.

10. Children can learn teamwork: Many musical education programs require teamwork as part of a band or orchestra. In these groups, students will learn how to work together and build camaraderie.

12. Responsible risk-taking: Performing a musical piece can bring fear and anxiety. Doing so teaches children how to take risks and deal with fear, which will help them become successful and reach their potential.

13. Better self-confidence: With encouragement from teachers and parents, children playing a musical instrument can build pride and confidence.

Young Voices  

On Tuesday 24th May, 36 of our wonderful Year 5 & 6 children went to the 02 to perform in their own Young Voices concert as a part of a choir of 8,500 children.  The children had worked extremely hard since September  and had to contend with a postponement of their concert date to May.  They were all FAB-U-LOUS and were a real credit to Barming Pre-School and Primary School.  We were treated to songs from the Lion King, a Beatles medley, The Living Years and lots more.  Well done Young Voices Choir!  Very proud of all of you! 

Mrs Armstrong.