Music
Music Intent
At Farsley Springbank we believe all children should gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions and musical genres.
Our objective is to develop a curiosity and enthusiasm for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may play in any person’s life. As children move through school they will begin to explore, engage and then express themselves through music. In this way they will develop skills that will inspire them to think critically and creatively, not just in the music classroom, but across all aspects of their life.
As a school, and in accordance with the National Curriculum’s expectations, we aim to ensure that all pupils:
- Should perform, listen to, review and evaluate music.
- Be taught to sing, and play a range of instruments, using different forms of notation.
- Be taught to create and compose music.
- Explore how music is created, produced and communicated.
Within the curriculum students gain understanding of music of a variety of styles and cultures, through listening, performing and composing, including Pentatonic Folk Music (focus on East Asia), West African Music (vocal and instrumental), Brazilian Samba, as well as a range of Classical and Pop styles.
We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts. As part of our cultural capital experiences we aim to perform in the wider community every year, with events such as singing at local care homes, collaborating with our local Community Choir and as part of the national Young Voices programme.
Implementation
In music in EYFS and KS1 we follow the Jolly Music programme, a scheme that enables children to immediately become music-makers, by using the voice as the primary instrument. Through a repertoire based on playground rhymes and songs the children become aware of the musical elements through multi-sensory learning and fun activities. They build the skills of listening, singing in tune, inner hearing and ultimately reading and writing music using the Kodaly method.
This lays the foundation for our varied curriculum in KS2, where each year group completes three main topics a year, linked to the National Curriculum requirements. The music curriculum is on a progressive spiral, so children will continue to revisit key skills both during an academic year and as they move through the key stage. This allows them to continually develop as musicians, through a deeper understanding of rhythm and pitch, reading music notation, listening skills, composition and performing using instruments and voices. All year groups develop vocal skills, and instrumental skills are built over time:
- Reception - Body Percussion
- Year 1 and 2 - Body percussion, unpitched percussion and chime bars
- Year 3 - Body Percussion, glockenspiels and chime bars
- Year 4 - Unpitched percussion and keyboards
- Year 5 - Djembes, keyboards and music technology (Chrome Music Lab)
- Year 6 - Keyboards and music technology (Garageband/ Chrome Music Lab)
Please see the bottom of the page for examples of our topics and learning journeys.
We encourage regular singing and listening to music daily for all children across KS1 and KS2, as well as in EYFS, with our Music of the Week, and weekly singing assemblies. We sing a variety of songs, chosen to widen children’s understanding of the world and their moral development.
Please click the link below to see our end of year singing assembly, where Reception to Year 4 classes performed songs they had been working on in curriculum music lessons:
All children come into music lessons listening to music. In EYFS, KS1 and LKS2, the music we choose encourages children to explore their opinions, allowing them to reflect and respond to music in their own way, through movement, or by describing their thoughts, ideas and feelings. In KS2 we have a “Composer of the Month” where the children listen to music from a wide range of composers. We aim to broaden children’s horizons through music they may not have experienced before. The composers cover a range of styles, genres, genders and cultures. They are encouraged to listen quietly, and focus on the moment and their own responses. This leads to wider discussions based on their own thoughts and opinions as well as focused listening questions.
All our children are given many opportunities to perform both in and out of the classroom. Live performances with an audience include EYFS and KS1 Nativity, Y3/4 Christmas Show, Y5/6 Leaver’s Show and concert opportunities for our Choir, Orchestra and instrumentalists to perform. We aim for all children to be involved, to experience real life as a musician or performer. We hope that these opportunities make a difference in their lives, and help them to grow in confidence, perseverance and resilience.
Students are exposed to a wide range of music opportunities in the classroom, with the chance to learn to play both glockenspiel and keyboard. Pupil premium students, and all students benefit from wider opportunities beyond the curriculum, with options to take part in:
- Drumming Group
- KS2 Choir
- KS1 Choir
- Making Music Club
- Orchestra
- Small group lessons on woodwind, strings, brass, keyboard, guitar and drums.
Please click on the link below to visit our music enrichment page and see some of the musical activities that children have been involved in:
As a school we have gained the Artsmark Gold award by developing an arts-rich curriculum for our children. We believe that by learning a range of visual and performing arts, the children will build their knowledge and skills during their time at Springbank, in order for them to be confident artists, performers and musicians. Our aim is to bring as much experience of the wider performing arts, including Music, as we can, to widen children’s experiences beyond that they may gain at home. Recent trips, visits and workshops have included:
- Samba workshops with traditional instruments for Year 1 - 6
- Performances from instrumental students and our school orchestra
- City of Leeds Youth Music Prom - watching Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra, Roots Alive folk group and the Steel Sparrows steel pan ensemble at Pudsey Civic Hall.
- Backchat Brass concerts.
- Woodwind and "Animal Fair" workshops with Chestra.
- Tiny Tunes and Tales workshops for Reception and Year 1
- KS1 Little Sing "Into the Jungle" at Pudsey Civic Hall
- Inclusive Christmas Concert for KS1 at Pudsey Civic Hall
