Music

 

    At Sussex Road Primary School, we believe that music is for everyone, irrespective of background or ability.  We recognise the importance music can play in our lives, positively impacting emotional health and well-being, so want children to develop a lifelong engagement with and genuine love of it.

During their time with us, the children  explore playing, composing, performing and evaluating a wide range of music - from the classical and traditional to today's contemporary, as well as music from other cultures.

Every child will be able to experience a sense of achievement and pride by having the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument (other than voice) before leaving us.

There are opportunities for children to work collaboratively  as well as to nurture individual talents, developing confidence, alongside their communication, thinking and creative skills.  All of which are transferable skills that will support them in their wider lives, both inside and outside of school.

 

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Learning is sequenced so that children have opportunities to develop their proficiency in the inter-related dimensions of pitch, texture, tempo, structure, timbre, dynamics and duration.

With our younger children, musical confidence is developed through play and the use of the voice to express themselves; they are taught how to work together as a group and to listen to one another through the use of call-and-response songs.  Games and nursery rhymes help children to explore pulse, pitch, rhythm and dynamics – although they are not yet familiar with these musical terms as we focus on a ‘sound before symbol’ approach.

As the children progress through the school, they continue to develop their musical understanding through the experiences of listening, composing and performing, learning to attach meaning to the symbols and language specific to the subject.  This is done through the explicit teaching of vocabulary and notation, enabling children to symbolically represent what they have experienced.

Learning is sequenced so that children have opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding whilst engaging with a broad and diverse range of musical traditions and cultures.  A song or piece of music is the starting point from which the musical learning flows, using the features of the piece.  Children explore a range of singing and playing opportunities, ask questions about what they have heard and are challenged to improvise and compose: to find their own creative voices.

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Our children leave Sussex Road with the confidence to continue to explore and enjoy a life-long connection with music.  They are confident composers, listeners and performers who are not inhibited in expressing themselves musically.  Music provides children with a unique outlet for their creativity, enabling them to communicate their emotions, thoughts and experiences in meaningful ways.  Collaborative music-making, such as ensemble performances and group composition projects, have promoted team-work, communication and empathy.  Children have learnt to listen to and support one another; music has provided a source of emotional expression and stress relief, a means to cope with challenges and develop resilience.  They have a deeper understanding of and appreciation of diverse cultures and musical traditions.  Through exposure to a variety of musical genres and styles, children have gained an insight into the rich tapestry of human culture and heritage, leading to a respect for diversity and a willingness to embrace the richness of cultural differences.

If you visited a Music lesson at Sussex Road you would see:

• Curiosity and exploration of musicians and musical genres from across history and around the globe.
• Enthusiasm and passion about creating music.
• Exploration of a range of tuned and untuned percussion in accompaniment or in developing their own compositions.
• Discussion about how to improve a performance.
• Co-operation between children in developing their own compositions and performing.
• Critical conversations about how to improve a piece of music.