Music Intent
We teach music at Kirkby Malham Primary School in a way that inspires our children to have a love of music and the desire to become musicians. This is achieved through regular singing practise of familiar, modern songs alongside more contemporary tracks linked to themes. Our planning and the implementation of our music curriculum is aimed to ensure all children are given the opportunity to listen to, discuss and develop a knowledge and understanding or preference of a wide range of music genres.
Overall, our music curriculum intends to engage and inspire all of our children in order to increase self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. We plan from the Model Music Curriculum and through this we want our children to:
- perform, review and evaluate music.
- be taught to sing, create and compose music
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated
Music Implementation
We are fortunate at Kirkby Malham School to have two members of staff who are musicians and who can deliver expert music tuition to the children.
Whole school singing lessons are delivered to the children where they can sing a variety of songs from across a variety of genres.
Music is played live for them to experience accompanying a musician, rather than a CD. Through these lessons the children will talk about musical language and devices and use expression in their singing.
Percussion accompanies the songs too allowing children to experiment with rhythm and dynamics.
In Class 1 and 2 children have the expertise of a qualified EY music teacher who delivers music sessions tailored specifically to the group. During music time tuned and untuned percussion instruments are used and there is also a focus on developing singing voices. Through instruments and voice the children explore elements of music such as rhythm, tempo texture, pitch and dynamics. Children are encouraged to use their creativity to create their own sound worlds and to collaborate with their classmates. Music is part of the core provision in Class 1, supporting as it does many other areas of learning, such as language development and literacy.
We use music appreciation in our Mindfulness sessions and believe this to be a valuable way to discuss and appreciate the effect music can have on a person’s well being and mental health.
We have a range of tuned and untuned instruments within school to teach children about musical notation.
We encourage peripatetic teachers in to school and have a number of children playing the piano and
accordion, some of whom take exams and achieve great results.
A few years ago we purchased a set of ocarinas to encourage younger children to play an instrument. This was popular and children have performed in public events. This allowed the children to read music and play for a purpose from an early age. We encourage the playing of the recorder too and some older children enjoy this.
The children also have access to a set of iPads. They include apps suitable for children throughout EYFS/KS1 and KS2 to create music through ICT. Apps currently include Garageband and Bandlab but more apps will be purchased throughout the year.
Music Impact
Children are assessed according to age related expectation in line with curriculum requirements for their age related expectations.
The impact music has on a child is not quantative, it is measured by their enthusiasm, contribution to the subject or reaction to it, realising what effect it plays.
Music is a holistic subject that can have an impact on a person in many different ways. The impact of music on a person cannot be underestimated.
SCHOOL CONTEXT
Current Strengths
At Kirkby Malham Primary School, we provide additional specialist teaching to all children. Children are given the opportunity to have private music lessons with Harry Hinchcliffe to learn the accordion. The knowledge and skills taught to the children develop sequentially as they move through school.
At the end of every year the whole school perform an end of year play. This encourages children form an early age to be involved in musical performances. By Y6 children are well versed in the musical elements.
We encourage musicians to perform to us in school. In the past we have had local choirs and our current music teachers including Mr Hinchcliffe, in school to perform concerts. We have around 15% of our school learning the piano too from the LA teachers.
Each week, the whole school is provided with the opportunity to listen to and discuss a wide variety of genres of music. For each assembly the music lead provides a weekly song list for the children to listen to as they enter and leave the hall.
We enjoyed a federation Music day in 2019 when children in KS2 from both schools worked together to
learn lyrics written by the music lead form our partner school based on ‘We’re all in this together’ and a dance. In Spring 2023 KS2 had weekly music/singing lessons with Mr Matt Haynes musical director from Stoneyhurst College in Clitheroe.
Every Christmas and July children from school perform a Nativity in church and a musical in Victoria Theatre where singing and performing musical instruments takes prominence.
We are lucky in that we have an amazing music specialist—Mrs Sally Anne Brown, who supports a class in school and teaches music to the Class 1and 2. We would like to try and ensure that Sally Anne teaches each class at least once throughout the year. Mr Bell Class 3 teacher is an excellent guitar player and accompanies the children in their singing lessons.
KIMCOM – this is a group of pre-school children from the local area that meet in school to sing and create music. The group has babies as well as toddler as all coming together to share their love of music. We believe you are never too young to be immersed in music.