St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School

Growing Together in Faith, Love and Learning

Music

Intent

At St. Bernadette’s we believe in ensuring that all pupils: 

  • Perform, listen to, review, and evaluate music
  • Be taught to sing, create, and compose music
  • Understand and explore how music is created, produced, and communicated

At St Bernadette’s our intention is that children gain a firm understanding of music through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a variety of historical periods, styles, traditions and musical genres.

We want our children to develop a curiosity and appreciation of music, be involved in musical activities and be able to understand and use the technical language associated with the subject.

Implementation

Music in Key Stage 2 is taught by a music specialist from Wigan Music Service and in Key Stage 1 it is delivered by Wigan Wider Opportunities. In the Early Years it is taught by the class teachers daily and through continuous provision. 

Children are taught to describe key characteristics as well as understand and use technical terminology and specialist vocabulary.

Whilst gathering for whole school assemblies, children listen to a wide range of genres of music – introducing them to classical music and different composers and their work and enabling them to identify and appreciate different styles and genres.

Children undertake independent work, and can work in groups, perform as a class and discuss their work with their peers.

Our choir meet once a week to rehearse and has extremely committed members. They love to showcase their talents.

Impact

Most of our children achieve age related expectations in music at the end of their cohort year. Evidence for this is gathered through pupil voice, observations, performances to parents and school family and ongoing formative self/peer/ teacher assessment. At the end of each academic school year, children are assessed against age related expectations and this is recorded in a learning log. Evidence is also recorded throughout the year on iPads. This is then reported to parents and governors.

The Year 1 and Year 2 teachers also have CPD as they take part in the lessons provided by Wigan Wide Opportunities on a weekly basis.

Children can dissect music, comprehend its parts, and discuss using the key vocabulary.

They can sing and feel a pulse.

All children gain audience performance experience through regular performances to the school, parents and local and wider community.

We are passionate in providing enrichment experiences, our school choir is a big presence in our school community and perform whenever possible. We have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in collaborative concerts with other local schools which celebrate our children’s confidence and skill in music.

We have a significant number of children who have private music lessons. These range from guitar, violin, recorder and even drums!

Children at St Bernadette’s are able to experience and enjoy music as they are given the opportunities to be listener, creator or performer in a variety of different ways.

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

LONG TERM PROGRESSION SKILLS