Market Drayton Infant & Nursery School
‘An excellent, happy school, where we enjoy learning’
Music
Intent
Our Music Curriculum design is based on Chris Quigley Essentials Curriculum linked to the Model Music Curriculum. Our curriculum design is based on evidence from cognitive science; three main principles underpin it:
- Learning is most effective with spaced repetition.
- Interleaving helps pupils to discriminate between topics and aids long-term retention.
- Retrieval of previously learned content is frequent and regular, which increases both storage and retrieval strength.
In addition to the three principles we also understand that learning is invisible in the short term and that sustained mastery takes time.
Our Values in Music
Collaboration | Respect |
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Aspirations | Positivity |
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In Music we want children to:
Implementation - How Do We Deliver the Music Curriculum?
Curriculum breadth
Music is taught as a discrete subject but also across the curriculum. Areas of learning, such as times tables in maths, vocabulary in languages and movement in dance can all incorporate different elements of music. A weekly Year group singing assembly allows the children opportunities to develop their singing skills and gain an understanding of how ensembles work. Performances, such as Christmas nativities, assemblies and end of year shows, demonstrate that music is important to the life of the school. Through our singing and listening we cover a wide range of musical genres which the children will revisit throughout their time in school.
Early Year Foundation stage
Music in the Foundation Stage (Nursery to Reception) is an integral part of daily activities. Routines and concepts are regularly taught through song, opportunities to explore and play instruments are provided, both outside and inside in continuous provision, and specific vocabulary and musical concepts are taught throughout the year as part of topic work. We relate the musical aspects of the children’s work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged nought to five. Music makes a significant contribution to the objective in the ELGs of developing a child’s skills and understanding of Expressive Arts and Design but has many cross curricular links, e.g. with physical development and communication.
Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2
The breadth of the curriculum links in with the programmes of study from the national curriculum. In Key Stage 1, the Model Curriculum provides a separate programme of study for Year 1 and 2, which we use to help us plan listening, singing, performing and composing opportunities. As part of the local curriculum and to keep with the idea of ‘possibilities’ the school offers a broader music curriculum than the national curriculum. Across the key stage, children are taught a tuned instrument by Shropshire Music Service; in Year 1 this is the ocarina and in Year 2, the ukulele. This valuable experience also teaches the children how to read simple notation, as well as the musicianship skills and techniques required to play an instrument. This increased understanding of what a musician does and the opportunities to learn a new skill all add to ‘cultural capital’.
Threshold Concepts- In Key Stage One the Chris Quigley Threshold Concepts of Perform, Compose, Transcribe and Describe are taught and revisited throughout the two years.
Planned activities linked to the threshold concepts
Threshold Concept | Milestone 1 Years 1 and 2 | Activities |
Perform (Links to NC Perform Play tuned and untuned instruments musically. /Singing Use their voices expressively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes.)
This concept involves understanding that music is created to be performed. | • Take part in singing, accurately following the melody. • Follow instructions on how and when to sing or play an instrument. • Make and control long and short sounds, using voice and instruments. • Imitate changes in pitch. | Year1 – Ocarina – Shropshire music service Year 1 – Weekly year group singing (Covid- do separately in classes) Year 2 – Ukulele- Shropshire music service Year 2 – Weekly year group singing (Covid- do separately in classes) Year 2 Christmas and End of year performance KS1 – Weekly singing in Assembly KS1- Harvest Christmas Easter
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Compose (Links to NC Listening (Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.) /Compose Make and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.)
This concept involves appreciating that music is created through a process which has a number of techniques. | • Create a sequence of long and short sounds. • Clap rhythms. • Create a mixture of different sounds (long and short, loud and quiet, high and low). • Choose sounds to create an effect. • Sequence sounds to create an overall effect. • Create short, musical patterns. • Create short, rhythmic phrases. | Year 1 – Ocarina – Shropshire music service Year 1- Opportunities in Continuous Provision Year 1- In-class music lessons (see Cycle Planning) Year 2 – Ukulele- Shropshire music service Year 2- In-class music lessons (see Cycle Planning- links with computing)
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Transcribe (Links to NC Compose Make and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.) This concept involves understanding that compositions need to be understood by others and that there are techniques and a language for communicating them. | • Use symbols to represent a composition and use them to help with a performance. | Year 1 – Planned in-class music sessions linked to knowledge from SMS lessons. Year 1- opportunities in Continuous provision Year 2 – Planned in-class music sessions linked to knowledge from SMS lessons. |
Describe music (Links to NC listening Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.) This concept involves appreciating the features and effectiveness of musical elements. | • Identify the beat of a tune. • Recognise changes in timbre, dynamics and pitch. | Year 1 – Planned listening opportunities to increase awareness of musical genres Year 1- ocarina Year 2 – Planned listening opportunities to increase awareness of musical genres
Whole school – Opportunities to experience ‘live’ music performances, e.g. Key strings, Shropshire Music Service ‘live’ events, Shropshire Sings.
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Vocabulary Progression in Music
Nursery 1 | Nursery 2 | Reception | Year 1 | Year 2 | ||||
Introduce Bang Clap Loud Quiet Shake Song Sounds Stamp Tap
Bells Drum Tambourine Triangle
| Revisit Bang Chant Clap Loud Quiet Shake Song Sounds Stamp Tap
Bells Drum Tambourine Triangle
| Introduce Beat Fast Humming Rhyme Singing Slow Start Stop Whispering
Claves Indian bells Shakers
| Revisit Bang Beat Chant Clap Fast Humming Loud Quiet Rhyme Shake Singing Slow Song Sounds Stamp Start Stop Tap Whispering
Bells Claves Drum Indian bells Shakers Tambourine Triangle
| Introduce High Low Rhythm
Chime bars Classical Composer Cymbal Folk Guitar Jazz Maracas Percussion Piano Pop Pulse Recorder Rock Rock and roll Singing Speaking Tambour Thinking Violin
| Revisit Bang Beat Chant Clap Fast High Humming Loud Low Quiet Rhyme Rhythm Shake Singing Slow Song Sounds Stamp Start Stop Tap Whispering
Bells Chime bars Classical Claves composer Cymbal Drum Folk Guitar Indian bells Jazz Maracas Percussion Piano Pop Pulse Recorder Rock Rock and roll Shakers Singing Speaking Tambour Tambourine Thinking Triangle Violin | Introduce echo mood muffle Pitch dynamics posture respond technique tempo tone tonguing vibration volume
crotchet minim ocarina quaver rest | Revisit and use confidently Bang Beat Chant Clap crotchet Dynamics echo Fast High Humming Loud Low Minim mood muffle Pitch posture quaver Quiet respond Rest rhyme Rhythm Shake Singing Slow Song Sounds Stamp Start Stop Tap technique Tempo tone vibration volume Whispering
Bells Chime bars Classical Claves Composer Cymbal Drum Folk Guitar Indian bells Jazz Maracas Percussion Piano Pop Pulse Recorder Rock Rock and roll Shakers Singing Speaking Tambour Tambourine Thinking Triangle Violin | |
Special Educational Needs and Music
Music has a rare and unique ability to bring people together; music making can make a whole class, school and community feel connected to others and part of something bigger. Our music curriculum celebrates the inclusion of all pupils including those with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring that all children can reach their creative potential. The National Curriculum Inclusion Statement states that teachers should set high expectations for every pupil, whatever their prior attainment. Teachers should use appropriate assessment to set targets which are deliberately ambitious. Potential areas of difficulty should be identified and addressed at the outset. Lessons should be planned to address potential areas of difficulty and to remove barriers to pupil achievement.
Links to other subjects
Year | Subject | How music may be linked |
EYFS Birth to three year olds | Expressive Arts and Design | Show attention to sounds and music. Respond emotionally and physically to music when it changes. Move and dance to music. Anticipate phrases and actions in rhymes and songs, like ‘Peepo’. Explore their voices and enjoy making sounds. Join in with songs and rhymes, making some sounds. Make rhythmical and repetitive sounds. Explore a range of sound makers and instruments and play them in different ways Enjoy and take part in action songs, such as ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’. |
Communication and Language | Enjoy singing, music and toys that make sounds | |
Physical development | Clap and stamp to music | |
Literacy | Enjoy songs and rhymes, tuning in and paying attention. Join in with songs and rhymes, copying sounds, rhythms, tunes and tempo. Say some of the words in songs and rhymes. Copy finger movements and other gestures. Sing songs and say rhymes independently, for example, singing whilst playing. | |
EYFS Three and four year olds
| Communication and Language
| Sing a large repertoire of songs.
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Physical development
| Use large-muscle movements to wave flags and streamers, paint and make marks. | |
Expressive Arts and Design
| Listen with increased attention to sounds. Respond to what they have heard, expressing their thoughts and feelings. Remember and sing entire songs. Sing the pitch of a tone sung by another person (‘pitch match’). Sing the melodic shape (moving melody, such as up and down, down and up) of familiar songs. Create their own songs, or improvise a song around one they know. Play instruments with increasing control to express their feelings and ideas. | |
EYFS Reception | Communication and Language | Listen carefully to rhymes and songs, paying attention to how they sound. Learn rhymes, poems and songs.
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Physical development
| Combine different movements with ease and fluency | |
Expressive Arts and Design | Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings. Return to and build on their previous learning, refining ideas and developing their ability to represent them. Create collaboratively, sharing ideas, resources and skills. Listen attentively, move to and talk about music, expressing their feelings and responses. Sing in a group or on their own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody. Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups. | |
KS1 | English | Stories- Stories are often used as stimuli for music activities. Instruments may be selected to represent a particular character or scene. Vocabulary- There is a progression of musical vocabulary that is taught to the children to help them develop Tier Three vocabulary, e.g. rhythm, beat and pulse may be used when discussing the elements of a musical piece. Communication- Children learn to communicate their musical knowledge through talking with a partner, in groups and in whole class discussions. |
Maths | Singing songs is a great way to learn counting patterns and number facts, e.g. times tables or doubles. | |
Geography | By studying music from different cultures and countries, the children develop their knowledge and understanding of traditions and place. Songs are also a useful vehicle for remembering facts such as the continents, oceans and countries of the UK. | |
History | Although we do not learn about specific composers in History, the children are exposed to a range of musical genres and learn to link these to different time periods. | |
PE- Dance | In dance, children learn to use their bodies to respond to stimuli, often a piece of music. By developing fluency of movement and listening to musical elements such as beat tempo or dynamics, they learn to express feelings use their bodies to communicate. |
Impact - How Do We Help Children Get to a Deep Level of Understanding?
To help children get to a deep level of understanding about music we introduce them to a range of musical genres throughout their school careers from Nursery 1 to Year 2. Through discussion, practical hands-on exploration and taught sessions, the children are gradually introduced to the elements of music.
Through both the EYFS curriculum and the Threshold Concepts, the children review and build upon knowledge each time they revisit a concept. Through our partnership with the Shropshire Music Service, pupils in Key Stage One are taught by a specialist teacher allowing high quality music tuition to take place and misconceptions to be dealt with. At times during the year, quizzes are used to review and encourage discussion. The frequent listening opportunities allow children to compare and contrast genres as their growing musical vocabularies develop. The experience of learning a tuned instrument is invaluable in the pursuance of deep understanding. Children develop learning skills such as perseverance and resilience whilst mastering the basic techniques.
As most of our work in music is practical, we use floor books and videos to record.
Pupil Voice
