Music
Music at Grange C of E School
What is our Intent?
At Grange C of E School we want all children to develop a firm understanding of what music is and to enjoy music. We are committed to develop the self-confidence, skills, knowledge, and understanding to help the children to develop a lifelong love of music, whilst also providing a secure foundation that enables them to take music further should they wish to.
At Grange C of E School children participate in a range of musical experiences, building up their confidence at the same time. They develop their understanding of rhythm and pitch and learn how music is structured, as well as learning technical vocabulary for these elements. As children’s confidence builds, they enjoy the performance aspect of music and appreciate how it feels to experience the joy that music can bring for themselves and others.
How is music taught at Grange C of E School?
We offer a range of opportunities for all children to engage with music from teaching in class to extra-curricular activities.
Music is taught in dedicated lessons through each term. Lessons are practical and involve children in singing, playing a range of percussion instruments, listening to and appraising a wide range of musical styles and composing, improvising and performing their own music.
Music planning is taken from the ‘Sing Up’ musical scheme which supports our teaching and pupils learning. This is a spiral curriculum and through re-visiting key learning as they progress through school, they become more confident with key vocabulary as well as appreciating, playing and performing music. Children experience listening to music from different cultures and eras and share how music expresses mood and cultural identity.
Opportunities to perform to a real, live audience are incorporated into events and performances throughout the year, from church services and the Christmas Tree Festival to school assemblies, plays and special musical performances such as Young Voices in Manchester for our older pupils and other opportunities such as La’al Sing for our KS1 pupils. Each year we are fortunate to be invited to take our older pupils to enjoy a performance from a professional group of classical musicians through our link with the Grange Musical Society.
Children in Y3 now learn to read music and play the recorder with a peripatetic teacher.
Extracurricular activities such as choir also provide children in KS1 and KS2 with the opportunity to make music together. Children who pursue music outside of school are encouraged to share their talents and achievements with us as a school.
Impact of our music teaching
The children love music, and this can be seen in school performances. Participation in music develops wellbeing, self-confidence, interaction and awareness of others; it promotes listening and develops concentration. Children have access to a varied programme which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. Children have an appreciation of music and it helps develop a sense of culture and history through learning about musical traditions and genres. By the end of their time at our school have the skills to develop further in secondary school and to enjoy music as a listener, creator of performer.
