Music Curriculum

 “Music can change the world.” Beethoven 

Music Curriculum Intent 

The intent is to ensure that music is an enjoyable experience for pupils. Children participate in a range of musical experiences, building up their confidence at the same time. They develop their understanding of rhythm and pitch and learn how music is structured, as well as learning technical vocabulary for these elements. As children’s confidence builds, they enjoy the performance aspect of music. Children experience listening to music from different cultures and eras.

Our objective at St Dunstan’s is to develop a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the importance of all types of music - especially as a form of prayer and worship to support our school’s Catholic ethos. It is imperative that children enjoy music and begin to learn and appreciate the beauty and necessity of music in their lives.

                                                                                                          St Dunstan’s follow the Kapow music scheme 

Curriculum Implementation 

The scheme we follow takes a holistic approach to music, in which the individual strands below are woven together to create engaging and enriching learning experiences: 

• Performing
• Listening 
• Composing
• The history of music 
• The inter-related dimensions of music  

Over the course of the scheme, children will be taught how to sing fluently and expressively, and play tuned and untuned instruments acurately and with control. 

They will learn to recognise and name the interrelated dimensions of music - pitch, duration, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and dynamics - and use these expressively in their own

improvisations and compositions. The Kapow scheme follows the spiral curriculum odel where previous skills and knowledge are returned to and built upon. 

In each lesson, pupils activley participate in musical activities drawn from a range of styles and tradiitons, developing their musical skills an their understanding of how music works. 

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as imporvisation and teacher-led performances. Lessons are 'hands on' and 

incorporate movement and dance elements. 

Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils' learning are also available. 

Curriculum Impact 

The impact of the  scheme is monitored through formative and summative assessment opportunities. The expected impact is that children will: 

• Be confident performers, composers and listeners and will be able to express themselves musically at and beyond school
• Show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social, and historical contexts in which it is developed
• Understand the ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities 
• Demostrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal musical preferences 
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the national curriculum for music  

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