Music

Being a Musician

 “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” 

Plato

At Charlton, music learning is a classroom-based participatory and inclusive approach. We use Music Express as a scheme to support our teaching from EYFS to Year 6. During lessons, pupils are actively involved in using and developing their singing voices, using body percussion and whole-body actions, and learning to handle and play classroom instruments effectively to create and express their own and other’s music. Through a range of whole class, group and individual activities, pupils can explore sounds, actively listen, compose and perform.

Each unit of learning has as its focus one process such as performance or composition, or one dimension such as pitch; the learning is progressive within the context of all the inter-related processes and dimensions of music.

 

 

At Charlton, our music curriculum is underpinned by our four curriculum drivers: Wonder, Knowledge, Discovery and Responsibility.

Wonder: Through our wider music curriculum, children are exposed to a range of music styles and genres from different times and places, through active listening (via composer study), performing (in lessons and to audiences) and composition (during lessons).

Discovery: At Charlton, our aim is that all pupils discover how to use their voices, body percussion and instruments to create and compose music on their own, and with others, enabling them to progress to the next level of musical excellence.

Responsibility: We aim for children to develop a critical engagement with music through the breadth and styles which they are exposed to. Through music, we teach children how to responsibly and respectfully discuss their views and preferences when evaluating music from a range of genres, styles and periods.

Knowledge: Our music curriculum teaches both knowledge and skills in a progressive manner, with each unit focusing on a specific process,

Music learning is not limited to classroom teaching. At Charlton, music is celebrated in a variety of ways and pupils are encouraged to be involved in a range of musical opportunities. Musical opportunities in school include weekly singing assemblies for both Lower School and Upper School, assemblies with a composer study focus, choir club, Vale Academy Trust Choir and Vale Academy Trust Singing Festival.

Throughout the year, we plan for a series of performance opportunities so that each year group has the chance to perform to an audience, experiencing what it is to be a performer. In addition to this, pupils are also able to access instrument lessons.

Music is an integral part of school life and its value is recognised. As such, at Charlton, we have a dedicated music room for the safe storage of instruments and for instrument lessons as well as a Music Specialist who is able to provide bespoke CPD for teachers and enrichment opportunities for our pupils.