Music at Co-op Academy Medlock 

'Where words fail, music speaks.' 

 Hans Christian Andersen

Intent 

Music is an integral part of the broad and balanced curriculum and enrichment offer provided for all pupils at Co-op Academy Medlock.  We believe that all children should have the opportunity to express themselves and creatively develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them and their place in it. 

All children have opportunities to develop their substantive and disciplinary knowledge in Music through a carefully structured and progressive curriculum which enables pupils to learn about great musicians through the ages and across musical genres, while becoming more competent musicians themselves. Our curriculum closely follows guidance from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and the National Curriculum Programmes of Study as well the ‘National Plan for Music Education’. This is supported by a varied enrichment programme ensuring pupils have the opportunity to continue to enjoy music making beyond the classroom. 

We believe that it is very important for our children to have a secure grounding in Western Classical music, but we also recognise the importance of introducing children to more contemporary or less formal music making as well as ensuring that the diversity of backgrounds within our school community is present in our music curriculum. This enables pupils to learn about composers and musicians from around the world and through different points in history but also allows our pupils and community to see themselves in what they learn. Music is a universal language and provides opportunities for children to hear, experience and understand a different way of communicating, adding richness to their lives. 

Implementation 

Music is taught in a mixed offering with class teachers in some years supported by  a music specialist  who ensures, alongside the subject lead, that implementation is strong. This is further enhanced by a range of wider musical learning opportunities across each year. 

  In Early Years, pupils follow a holistic approach to music making which includes guided, adult led and child initiated opportunities both inside and out. There is a strong emphasis on rhyme and responding to music and how music making can strengthen the Prime Areas of learning. 

 From Nursery, the children have a teacher led group music session which supports wider thematic learning. Each session includes opportunities for children to listen and appraise, sing,  play and perform as well as developing early evaluation skills. Children then have opportunities to respond creatively as well as refine and develop key skills taught in their independent play. 

The environment is structured at each stage (including provocations) in order for children to develop, explore and investigate these new skills freely, with adults carefully skilled at intervening and moving learning forward. Within the environment children are encouraged to make and respond to music collectively to support children with future ensemble playing. 

In years 1-6, the curriculum builds on our foundational learning in the Early Years. Teachers follow progressive and carefully written medium term planning developed by the subject leader with the support of the Greater Manchester Music Hub. These have been specifically structured using a spiral model so that pupils revisit and further develop their understanding; focused on incremental learning of core skills through repetition of practical activities and content. This includes practical knowledge for music making as well as theoretical knowledge including music appreciation. Further to this, the learning supports and enhances the learning in other curriculum areas, where appropriate, in particular humanities and gives pupils opportunities to transfer and apply their knowledge from other curriculum areas. 

Each lesson includes aspects of  four key elements: listening, singing, playing (performing), and creating (composition and improvisation) and children are taught from the beginning to evaluate their own work and that of others. This is supplemented by two years of whole class singing tuition in years 2 and 3 and a further two years of  instrumental tuition.  In year 4, the children spend a year learning descant recorder - with the option to continue this learning in the rest of KS2 and in year 5 the children learn the ukulele.

Within each unit of work, pupils will encounter a range of musical pieces either from the same musician or similar genre . Exploring the work of musicians such as Saint Saens, Villa Lobos, and Florence Price enables the children to see how music has been used as a way of responding to the world around them and the impact that they (and others) have on it. The pupils also re-encounter musicians and musical genres so that they can compare their work (how they have responded to different themes) and see how their work might vary based on the arrangement or instrument choice. Alongside this, year groups have a set listening long term plan which carefully maps out musical opportunities that link directly to wider learning. 

Due to our location near the city centre we are fortunate to have a number of Musical Institutions on our doorstep. We support families to actively engage with musical events, for example the RNCM engage events and ensure that children have opportunities at every stage to experience professional live music in and out of school and to have the opportunity to perform themselves throughout their time at Co-op Academy Medlock.

 

Impact  

Teachers use the progression documents and recorded examples of pupils' work to assess  the pupils as they move through each teaching unit and they will use this to inform summative judgements at the end of the year.  Each half term, teachers focus on a particular aspect of music making to assess more deeply, for example in Spring 1 the whole school focus is on Listening and responding to music.  Teachers will have opportunities to use both exemplification and moderation activities with the subject leader, where appropriate music specialist and other teachers to quality assure these judgements. 

Pupils positively engage with music, make good progress and produce work of a high standard. This work is celebrated through termly celebration assemblies, as well as opportunities for individuals, small ensembles and our choir to perform throughout the year in and out of school.  A clear plan for music making beyond Whole Class Tuition in KS2 as well as strong links with musical charities and with our local music centre ensures that many children progress further and continue instrumental music learning into secondary school and hopefully beyond.