“The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school” (Model Music Curriculum)

Intent 

At The Three Schools, we believe that Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and increase their musical skills, and so increase self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to a wide range of musical styles and works by a variety of composers.

Every child at The Three Schools is an individual and our musical provision is one of the many curriculum areas where we encourage all to thrive, to be themselves, to enjoy participating and growing, and to be the best they can be, whilst demonstrating and developing their own unique flare!

• To encourage awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of music in all its forms.
• To develop imagination and creativity.
• To help children of all abilities develop positive attitudes and to experience success and satisfaction in music.
• To offer opportunities to sing, play instruments, compose, listen and appraise.

Singing skills- A singing culture will be established and nurtured within the school. Children and adults in the school will be encouraged to sing whenever appropriate to aid well -being and health as well as musical outcomes.

Instrumental skills - Children will be taught to sing a wide ranging variety of songs and to use their voices expressively. They should have the opportunity to play both tuned and un-tuned instruments with increasing control and should rehearse and perform with others, with an awareness of audience.

Composing skills-  Children will create Musical patterns and will be shown how to explore, select and organise musical ideas, recording these in a variety of ways, (e.g.: pictorial score, by means of a digital recorder, tape recorder or video or using notation).

Appraising skills- Children will be given the opportunity to explore and explain their own ideas and feelings about Music, using Music, dance, expressive language and Musical vocabulary. They will analyse and compare sounds and will become confident at suggesting improvements for their own work and that of others.

Listening and applying knowledge and understanding-  Children should be able to listen with concentration and to internalise and recall sounds with increasing Music Curriculum Statement aural memory. They will develop a growing awareness of the interrelated dimensions of music. They will learn that time and place can influence the way music is created, performed and heard, that music is produced in different ways and is described through invented and standard notations which will be applied appropriately throughout their musical journey in school.

Implementation

Music teaching at The Three Schools meets and exceeds the requirements of the National Curriculum through use of the Charanga scheme of work, participation in Whole-Class Musicianship in four year groups, a host of peripatetic lessons and a breadth of wider opportunities to engage in musical performance.

Learning begins in the Early Years, where music is an integral part of provision. Children learn a wide range of songs and rhymes and develop skills for performing together. Singing and music making opportunities are used frequently to embed learning, develop musical awareness and to demonstrate how music can be used to express feelings and an appreciation for music begins through the introduction of famous composers and notable pieces of music.

As children progress into KS1, we build on the knowledge and skills acquired during the Early Years Foundation Stage, with  progression designed through to KS2, encompassing the Charanga scheme and additional, practical opportunities to play.   Music lessons follow half-termly units and an emphasis is placed on musical vocabulary, enabling children to confidently discuss their learning, their compositions and to articulate the creative process. As such, children use a broad range of musical vocabulary to dissect pieces of music, and understand how it has been created, played, appreciated and analysed. 

Drawing on the expertise of our own specialist staff as well as the Buckinghamshire Music Trust, children learn to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, and every child has the opportunity to learn the violin, drums and trumpet during their time with us, as a minimum.  

Opportunities for performance are seized and children perform locally, as well as with the Young Voices at the O2 or Echoes at the Royal Albert Hall.  Our annual Music Extravaganza is an opportunity for all children to showcase tehir talents and we take great delight  sharing their talents as they perform, showcasing their learning in guitar, French horn, oboe, clarinet and piano, to name but a few.

Impact

The impact of the music curriculum on the learning of our children will be measured using formative assessment throughout the year by teachers. 

Children will have access to a varied programme of music, which will allow them to discover and develop areas of strength as well as areas they wish to improve. Our children will inherit a rich and diverse musical palette that in turn will allow them to experience achievement, self-confidence, awareness of self and others, and self-reflection. Their musical experiences in school will ensure they have a broad and deep understanding of culture and history, both locally, nationally and internationally. Our hope is that children will develop a passion for music – as a listener, creator and performer.

Children will be able to talk passionately about their musical knowledge, preferences, abilities, and about significant figures in music history. They will be aware of prospective careers and avenues accessible to them in the future.

The National Plan for Music Education (2023) 

In 2023, the government published the power of music to change lives: a national plan for music education. It sets out a vision to enable all children and young people to:

• learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together
• have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally

Every child should receive a great music education. Learning about music and having the opportunity to play musical instruments and make music together is a vital part of a rich and rounded education. Music plays a key role in brain development. It helps to develop language, motor skills, emotional intelligence and collaboration skills.

In response to this, we have published our School Strategy for Music for 2024-2025.