Music
Music at Kingsley
Intent
To quote the Department for Education: "Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity" (National Curriculum - Music Key Stages 1 to 2). At Kingsley, this 'universal language' is viewed as a unique mode of communication that unifies, inspires and motivates children. Our music is a vehicle for individual and collective expression, playing an important role in the personal development of all pupils - “The belief that music enriches individual lives as well as a school’s wider community” (Model Music Curriculum, DfE). It reflects our culture and society, the teaching and learning of the subject enabling children to better understand the world in which we live.
As the DfE states, "A high quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon". In order to achieve this, at Kingsley we aim to develop and use musical skills via the music curriculum itself, cross-curricular links with other subjects, and through wider projects and experiences.
Courtesy of these vehicles, we provide opportunities for all children to create, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms, and to begin to make judgements about the quality of music. We embrace and nurture creativity and instrumental (including vocal) talents. Using technology, we can access new, exciting and accessible music applications to compose, produce and perform; key elements of modern music.
Take a look at the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils:
Primary National Curriculum Music
For Early Years pupils (Nursery and Reception), please refer to the 'Expressive Arts and Design' strand of the EYFS:
https://birthto5matters.org.uk/
The specific approach to teaching and learning of Music in EYFS comprises of the following overview from the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework:
EYFS Statutory Educational Programme: The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to and observe.
Implementation
Please see our Music Curriculum Map and Progression/Skills documents for a detailed overview.
We have a multi-pronged approach to the teaching and learning of music at Kingsley, the majority of which now takes place in our purpose-built resourced Music / Eco learning hub:
- Specialist Music Teacher Miss Rigby delivers one full term of weekly music lessons for pupils in years 1-6 (on a rolling rotation system)
- Each Unit of Work comprises of strands of musical learning which correspond to the National Curriculum for music:
Listening and Appraising
Musical Activities
- Warm-up Games
- Optional Flexible Games
- Singing
- Playing instruments
- Improvisation
- Composition
- Beatlife music specialist team work with EYFS Nursery and Reception classes in weekly singing/drumming/movement workshops
Extra-curricular and enrichment music opportunities:
- Coming soon: Upper Key Stage 2 choir who will rehearse on a Wednesday lunchtime
- Weekly Afro-Brazilian and Cuban 'Drumming Club' with Beatlife, for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils
- Coming soon: A community/family choir in collaboration with Granby Children’s Centre!
- Long term music projects such as EYFS’ work with the Liverpool Biennial and KeKeCa
- Themed workshop days with external providers such as Osun Arts Foundation and Capoeira For All.
- Extra curricular trips to musical performance events such as the 'Concerts for Schools' at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, as well as visitors into school, e.g. Movema.
Performance opportunities:
Beatlife's after school drumming group give performances in whole school assembly as well as providing the opportunity to meet up with other local school children to perform together as the Beatlife Community Band at the Granby Four Streets community market.
In Key Stage plays and nativities, all pupils have the opportunity to learn and perform songs/instrumental parts, to the school community, including parents and carers.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, our school choir also performed an annual festive repertoire at elderly care homes in our local community, as well as at Kingsley School events.
Impact
Kingsley's music team use informal baseline and then formative assessments to regularly assess what the children know as each topic progresses, and to inform future learning opportunities and development. Summative assessments are then measured in end of unit assessment documents.
Assessment information is integral to our developing monitoring cycle. Monitoring of progress in Music includes, for example: peer lesson observations (conducted by the Music Co-ordinator), learning walks, work scrutiny/observations of pupils work, and pupil voice.
Further information about some of Kingsley School's musical collaborators:
https://www.capoeiraforall.org/
Further information about the Charanga teaching/learning resource:
In line with the curriculum for music and guidance from Ofsted, Charanga moves away from the previous levels and learning objective/outcome concepts to an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to musical learning. The interrelated dimensions of music weave through the units to encourage the development of musical skills as the learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing.
Home Learning Opportunities
www.nyphilkids.org - Miss Rigby recommends the New York Philharmonic 'Kidz Zone' for exciting listening games, practical activities and information about composers and conductors. Suitable for KS1 and KS2 pupils.
https://www.mydso.com/dso-kids/ - A fantastic resource from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Children of all ages can select musical instruments from the orchestra to learn more about them and listen to their sounds. Fun activity ideas can also be found, with Mrs Gilbert's favourite being the 'Make Your Own Instrument' page, as well as a downloadable orchestra colouring book!
https://www.youtube.com/ - 'Myleene's Music Klass' - subscribe to Myleene's channel to watch her 10-minute long music lesson videos, covering a range of important areas such as musical notation, rhythm, and dynamics. Suitable for upper KS1 and KS2 children.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise - A resource bank for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 children, with a wide range of challenges, videos, information and activities to explore, including singing tips!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/bring-the-noise/eyfs-ks1-music-play-it-bring-the-noise/z4sq92p - Also on the BBC's music resource page, the 'Play It' app can be used by children of all ages to listen to music and create their own sounds for early musical production and editing ideas.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zw2ntv4/resources/1 - BBC Bitesize KS1 shares a variety of informative and educational music videos, including focus on key musical vocabulary such as pitch and beat.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zcbkcj6/resources/1 - The KS2 pages take music learning to greater depth with focus on music genres through the ages. 'Hip Hop Shakespeare' demonstrates how to rap Shakespearean verse!
https://www.allaroundthisworld.com/ - An online world music education hub for children and their families. A wide selection of music audio and videos to explore, showcasing music from different genres, cultures, and countries from all over the world. Great for having a household living room dance party!
https://www.mamalisa.com/ - Wonderful for EYFS children to explore with a parent/carer, nursery rhymes from cultures all over the world.
http://www.resonatehub.co.uk/ - Liverpool's music 'hub' provides ongoing local information
https://www.liverpoolphil.com/take-part/family-concerts-and-workshops/ - Information about upcoming concerts and workshops at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, aimed at children.
'YolanDa's Band Jam' - Available to watch on BBC iPlayer, a live musical performance show for children.
'Melody' - Available to watch on BBC iPlayer, an exploration of the emotions that listening to music can provoke, and the journeys through imagination that it takes us on. Perfect for EYFS and younger KS1 pupils.
Further Information
For further information about music at Kingsley School, please contact Music Co-ordinator Miss Rigby:
0151 709 6727
a.rigby@kingsley.liverpool.sch.uk