Music Intent

At Cowbit St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, we firmly believe that music is all around us and is inclusive of all. Our intention is that children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing and our aim is to make music an enjoyable learning experience by encouraging all children to participate in a variety of ways, be it watching, listening to or taking part in performances. Music can engage, motivate and inspire pupils and along with building confidence, it is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity.

At Cowbit St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, we believe that Music brings our school community together. We believe that music plays an integral role in helping children to feel part of a community, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and when performing in front of an audience. Through participation in collective worship and productions, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. Children sing a range of hymns regularly within Collective Worship. Music lessons enable children to develop skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.

Music teaching at Cowbit St Mary’s Church of England Primary School aims to follow the specifications of the National Curriculum; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum and ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills. We use the Kapow Music Scheme as our teaching tool for lessons. We learn to play instruments individually, which enables children to build resilience and strength in learning a new skill and we also encourage creativity by providing opportunities for children to compose their own rhythms and melodies and to express themselves. For children who show particular skill or enthusiasm in music, we are ambitious and encourage them to take part in extra-curricular music activities in and out of school.

The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Enjoy and have an appreciation for music.

• Listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, cultures, styles and traditions.

• Can sing and use their voices to create different effects.

• Create and compose music, both on their own and with others.

• Use a range of musical language.

• Make judgements and express personal preferences about the quality and style of music.

• Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.

Children also listen to, appreciate and appraise a wide range of musical styles and genres. These pieces of music are varied and diverse and taken from different historical periods, cultures and music styles so that children can show respect for music of different traditions. In summary, we aim for children to develop new and existing interests in music from across the world, and to develop a lifelong passion for music in all forms.