Music
Intent
Our music curriculum is designed to be ambitious, inclusive, and inspiring. It aims to ensure that all pupils, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), develop a secure foundation in musical knowledge, understanding, and skills. Through a rich and sequential curriculum, we enable pupils to listen, appraise, compose, and perform confidently. Music is a key element in developing creativity, self-expression, and resilience, while also supporting pupils’ wider personal development, including confidence, teamwork, and cultural awareness.
We believe that music should be accessible to all. Our curriculum provides pupils with diverse musical experiences, including exposure to a wide range of musical styles, traditions, and instruments, enabling them to develop as well-rounded musicians and individuals. Music makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) development.
Implementation
Music is taught weekly across all year groups using the Kapow Primary Music Scheme, except in Year 4, where pupils receive specialist 30-minute trumpet tuition from Somerset Music. This approach ensures consistent coverage of the national curriculum and clear progression from EYFS through to Year 6. Lessons are inclusive and carefully adapted to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND.
In EYFS, music is integrated through singing, rhythm games, movement, and instrument play, aligned with the Early Learning Goals and Development Matters. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the Kapow scheme provides a clearly sequenced curriculum, building progressively on prior learning in pulse, rhythm, pitch, notation, composition, and performance.
Weekly whole-school singing assemblies support the development of vocal technique, collective music-making, and musical memory. We provide regular opportunities for children to perform and reflect on their musical learning in both formal and informal contexts.
Our enrichment offer includes strong partnerships with Jackdaw Productions and the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which enhance pupils’ cultural capital through workshops, live music experiences, and opportunities to work with professional musicians. Our choir performs a range of genres both in school and to the wider community.
Impact
- Pupils demonstrate high levels of engagement and enthusiasm for music across all phases.
- Musical knowledge and skills build cumulatively over time, with clear progression in performance, composition, and appraisal so that pupils are ready to continue their musical journey in secondary education.
- All pupils develop instrumental skills, read notation, and perform confidently as an ensemble.
- Singing assemblies support accurate pitch, rhythm, vocal confidence, and enjoyment of group music-making.
- Children participate in performances, assemblies, and celebrations, showing increasing confidence and musicianship.
- Pupils benefit from high-quality cultural enrichment and have frequent contact with professional musicians.