What does Music look like at Kingfisher?
Aims of the Music National curriculum:
The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
- perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
- learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
At Kingfisher CE Academy our philosophy of music education is based on the principle that it should be fun and engaging for all concerned, and that every child is a born musician. Music plays a role in every aspect of our lives, wherever and whoever we are. For this reason, we divide the academic year into six units, each corresponding with one of our six recurring Social Questions, combined with a unique Musical Spotlight.
We work on six self-sufficient units per year. Each unit is structured into six steps which can be adapted to meet need, though a pace of one step per weekly lesson may suit the pace of our learners.
At the centre of each step – each lesson – is a song around which the musical learning is centred. Each lesson has a simple structure complemented by an array of supporting resources, that take you through listening, singing, performing, composing and improvising exercises with the children in your class.
In addition to weekly Charanga music lessons we have a 15-week programme of instrument tuition for each year group. In Early years we have a singing coach come in, Year 1 our children learn African drumming, in Year 2 they learn Ukulele and in Year 3 recorder. Families can also access private music lesson for their child should they wish to.
Musical performances and ensembles are planned throughout the academic year, including Christmas performances, Carol Concerts, Year group assemblies, Swindon Make a noise festival and the Infant Music Festival which we take part in each year. The whole school singing practices ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy and learn new songs.