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.
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.
Music Lead
Mr Scott Cullis & Mr Gordon Campbell