Why do we learn music?
Our approach
Subject aims
Early Years
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6

Why do we learn music?

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 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.

(National Curriculum, 2014)

Our approach

Our music curriculum at Ark Tindal Primary School aims to inspire self-expression, creativity, and connection with others through music. We want to ignite a lifelong love for music by exposing our students to a range of musical experiences. We want to inspire students to become reflective musicians by listening to and responding to different musical styles, identifying their voices as singers and performers, and composing music.

At Ark Tindal, we believe that Music is at the heart of our everyday lives. High quality music education is unparalleled in its ability to stimulate personal, emotional and intellectual development and motivate social change. Given the right conditions, we believe that every child can be a musician and enjoy improved life chances as a result.

We provide a progressive, inclusive and practical curriculum through which learners develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to both succeed academically and to enjoy a life-long relationship with music.

Subject aims

  • Engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians
  • Increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement
  • Ensure pupils perform listen to review and evaluate music across a range of genres styles and traditions
  • Learn to sing and use their voice to create and compose music

Early Years - Music

 

The Ark EYFS Music Resources are compiled into themed Songbooks. Each songbook will serve for a half term unit (6 weeks). We strongly believe in the importance of children experiencing music making in an imaginative and exploratory way. We have aligned our music resources with the topic areas the children are investigating, so songs, games and musical experiences can happen within the imaginative world of the stories that are read to them and the topic they are learning about. 

 

Nursery

Unit

Title

Skills and Knowledge

Resources

Autumn 1

Who am I?
  • Children join in with familiar musical routines (hello songs, call and response, MTYT)
  • Children know how to control the sound of their voice and can use the 5 different voice types: whispering, speaking, shouting, singing, thinking.
  • Children develop their sense of pulse and can copy simple rhythm patterns.

​1 Who Am I​

Autumn 2

What happens at night?
  • Children join in with familiar musical routines (hello songs, call and response, MTYT)
  • Use a range of vocal sounds and sing a selection of songs, rhymes and chants.
  • Children can copy rhythmic patterns and mirror teacher’s representation of pulse.
  • Respond freely to music through movement in a group with a sense of ensemble.

​2_What Happens At Night​

Spring 1

Where do animals live?
  • Responds and takes turns in circle games.
  • Starts to mirror teacher’s vocal pitch.
  • Recognise and memorise a small repertoire of simple songs.
  • Uses voice and movement to tell musical stories.

​4_Where Do Animals Live​

Spring 2

What can we do to help?
  • Children offer creative and imaginative responses in musical games and routines.
  • Children develop their sense of pitch and sing simple so-mi songs with vocal accuracy.
  • Children offer made-up or improvised responses in singing games.
  • Children use voice and movement to tell musical stories.

​5_What Can We Do To Help​

Summer 1

Journeys and Adventures
  • Starts to support others in the class to cooperate as an ensemble in group exercises and singing circle games.
  • Stories and Characters are represented freely through movement.
  • Sings so mi songs with accuracy and matches pitch of the teacher and/or others in the class.

​7. Journeys and Adventures​

Summer 2

Can you make it work?
  • Take turns in whole class singing games with awareness of others.
  • Explore and mirror a physical representation of pitch.
  • Recognise and memorise a small repertoire of simple songs.
  • Use 5 voices confidently.

​3_Can You Make It Work​

 

Reception

 

Unit

Title

Skills and Knowledge

Resources

Autumn 1

Who am I
  • Children join in with familiar musical routines (hello songs, call and response, MTYT)
  • Children know and can demonstrate the difference between singing and speaking voices.
  • Children develop their sense of pulse, copy simple rhythm patterns and tap the rhythm of the words they sing or chant.

​1 Who Am I​

Autumn 2

What happens at night
  • Takes turns and can sing solo responses in circle games.
  • Children demonstrate a sense of pulse, copy simple rhythm patterns and tap the rhythm of the words as they sing or chant.
  • Sing songs in unison as a class and match the pitch of a teacher or leader.
  • Respond freely to tempo and rhythm with characterful movement.
  • Develop a repertoire of songs to sing together.
  • Recognise pitches and respond with body signs.
  • Demonstrate understanding of musical elements through musical signals.

​Image removed.2_What Happens At Night​

Spring 1

Can you make it work
  • Build ensemble skills with classmates in singing games.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the difference between the beat and rhythm through movement.
  • Sing “So-Mi-La” songs with vocal accuracy and in unison.
  • Attempts to sing solo responses.

​3_Can You Make It Work​

Spring 2

Where do animals live
  • Builds ensemble skills with classmates in percussion activities.

​4_Where Do Animals Live​

Summer 1

Journeys and Adventures
  • Use percussion collaboratively.
  • Sings accurately over a range of 5-6 notes in unison with class.
  • Make music supportively within the class ensemble and small groups or pairs.

​7. Journeys and Adventures​

Summer 2

What can we do to help
  • Children will build ensemble skills with classmates in singing games.
  • Children will demonstrate an understanding of the difference between the beat and rhythm through movement.
  • Children are able to sing “So-Mi-La” songs with vocal accuracy and in unison.
  • Children will sing solo responses.

​5_What Can We Do To Help​

Year 1 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Establishing Musicianship Skills Establishing Musicianship Skills
Spring 1 Spring 2
Exploring musicianship: Rhythm Exploring musicianship: Pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Let’s Get Creative:
Creating your own music

Showtime!
Rehearsing and Performing

All Year 1 Subjects Next Year 1 Subject -Art

Year 2 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Establishing Musicianship Skills  Establishing Musicianship Skills 
Spring 1 Spring 2
Exploring musicianship: Rhythm Exploring musicianship: Pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Let’s Get Creative:
Creating your own music		 Showtime!
Rehearsing and Performing

All Year 2 Subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Art

Year 3 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Establishing Musicianship Skills  Establishing Musicianship Skills 
Spring 1 Spring 2
Exploring musicianship: Rhythm Exploring musicianship: Pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Let’s Get Creative:
Creating your own music		 Showtime!
Rehearsing and Performing

All Year 3 Subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Art

Year 4 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

Establishing Strong Musical Roots

Establishing Strong Musical Roots
Spring 1 Spring 2
Developing Musical Roots: rhythm Developing musical roots: pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Getting Creative Rehearsing & performing

All Year 4 Subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Art

Year 5 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

Establishing Strong Musical Roots

Establishing Strong Musical Roots
Spring 1 Spring 2
Developing Musical Roots: rhythm Developing musical roots: pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Getting Creative Rehearsing & performing

All Year 5 Subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Art

Year 6 - Music

Autumn 1 Autumn 2

Establishing Strong Musical Roots

Establishing Strong Musical Roots
Spring 1 Spring 2
Developing Musical Roots: rhythm Developing musical roots: pitch
Summer 1 Summer 2
Getting Creative Rehearsing & performing

All Year 6 Subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Art