Music Subject Statement
Perseverance – Through our curriculum, we aim for pupils develop perseverance by listening carefully, practising regularly and refining their musical skills step by step. Working through challenges in performing, composing and appraising music, pupils build confidence, resilience and a belief that progress comes from effort.
Ambition – Our curriculum is designed to help children to see the joy of music and musical composition whilst gaining a sense of success and achievement by learning and developing new music skills.
Curiosity – We aspire to develop curiosity by exploring a wide range of music, asking questions about how music is created and trying out their own ideas in composition and performance. Children are encouraged to investigate rhythms, melodies and instruments, and to think creatively about how music can express feelings and tell stories.
Kindness – We encourage our children to accept the validity and importance of all types of music by being a respectful audience and demonstrating an unbiased respect for the role that music may play in any person’s life.
Curriculum Intent
Music at St John’s is based on the Kapow Primary Music scheme and is designed to help pupils recognise themselves as musical, whilst also nurturing a lifelong love of music.
The scheme develops the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to become confident performers, composers, and listeners. The curriculum introduces our children to music from across the world, encouraging respect and appreciation for the music of all traditions and communities.
Children build musical skills through singing, playing tuned and untuned instruments, improvising, composing and listening and responding to music. They develop an understanding of the historical and cultural context of the music they encounter and learn how music can be notated.
The scheme also supports the development of transferable skills, including teamwork, leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and presentation and performance abilities. These skills are integral to our children’s positive development as learners and have wide application in their lives beyond school.
Curriculum Implementation
Our music curriculum is aligned to the National Curriculum and implemented through the structured scheme of learning provided by Kapow Primary. This ensures clear progression in musical knowledge, skills and vocabulary from Early Years through to Year 6.
Lessons are delivered weekly (or as a block over a shorter period of time) and follow the progressive units within the Kapow scheme, which are carefully sequenced to develop pupils’ understanding of the key musical elements: pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture and structure. Each unit combines listening, singing, composing, performing and evaluating to give our children a well-rounded musical experience.
Teachers use Kapow’s detailed lesson plans, knowledge organisers and teacher guidance to support high-quality teaching. The scheme provides subject knowledge support for non-specialist teachers and ensures consistency across year groups while still allowing teachers to adapt lessons to meet the particular needs of their class.
Children explore a wide range of musical styles, genres and traditions from different cultures and historical periods. This helps develop cultural awareness and appreciation while building musical vocabulary and confidence.
Practical music-making is central to the curriculum. Children regularly:
- sing and perform using their voices
- play tuned and untuned instruments
- compose and improvise
- listen and respond to music
- evaluate their own and others’ performances
In Years 3 and 4, our children all learn a musical instrument (the ukelele) which is taught by a specialist music teacher. Children also have the opportunity to participate in our school choir and private musical instrument lessons which includes guitar, flute and piano.
Assessment for learning is embedded throughout lessons through questioning, observation and practical outcomes. Teachers use Kapow’s assessment guidance to monitor progress and ensure pupils build on prior learning.
Opportunities to perform are built into the curriculum through class performances, assemblies and wider school events. These experiences help children develop confidence, collaboration and pride in their musical achievements.
Through this approach, the implementation of our music curriculum ensures children progressively develop their musical skills, creativity and appreciation of music.
Curriculum Impact
The impact of our music curriculum is that our children develop confidence, creativity and a secure understanding of key musical concepts as they progress through the school. They build their knowledge of musical elements such as pulse, rhythm, pitch and dynamics, and learn to use appropriate musical vocabulary when discussing and evaluating music.
Through regular opportunities to sing, play instruments, compose and perform, children develop practical musical skills and increasing confidence in expressing themselves musically. They are able to listen critically to a range of musical styles and demonstrate an appreciation of music from different cultures and traditions.
Assessment within lessons ensures that pupils build on prior learning and make clear progress over time. By the end of primary school, our children have developed a strong foundation of musical knowledge and skills, along with a positive attitude towards music and performance.