Music

Overview

Pupils at Lodge will:

develop musical skills, knowledge, and understanding appropriate to their age and abilities.
celebrate music with opportunities for performances, concerts.
have the opportunity for performances, concerts, and participation in local and national music festivals.
participate in music activities which will enhance pupils' self-confidence, resilience, and teamwork skills.
express themselves creatively and develop a sense of personal identity through music.

Intent

Our intent at Lodge Primary school is to provide a high-quality music education that is inclusive, engaging, and inspires a lifelong love and appreciation for music in all our pupils.

We believe that music plays a vital role in enhancing children's overall well-being, confidence, and cognitive development.

Through carefully planned and sequenced music curriculum, we aspire to nurture our pupils' creativity, expression, and cultural understanding.

Music lessons will provide a safe space for pupils to explore and manage their emotions, fostering positive mental health and well-being.

Implementation

Carefully planned Curriculum	We provide a well-structured, coherent, and inclusive music curriculum that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The curriculum offers a wide range of musical genres, styles, and traditions, ensuring pupils experience music from different cultures and historical periods. Opportunities for pupils to listen, perform, compose, and appraise music will be embedded throughout the curriculum.
Lesson planning	Our music lessons are carefully planned by an external music provider to foster progression and challenge for all pupils. Clear learning objectives and success criteria are shared with pupils to ensure they understand the purpose of the lesson and their expected outcomes. We use a variety of teaching approaches, including whole-class teaching, group work, practical activities, and technology-enhanced learning to cater to different learning styles and abilities. Music is also taught in block sessions by teachers during our curriculum weeks using a universal theme.
High Quality Pedagogy	Our music teachers have the necessary subject knowledge, skills, and expertise to deliver outstanding music lessons. Teacher training and continuous professional development opportunities will be provided to ensure that our educators stay updated with best practices in music education. Our teachers inspire and motivate pupils through their enthusiasm, passion, and effective use of questioning and feedback.
Singing and Vocal Development	Singing is at the heart of the music provision, with regular opportunities for all pupils to engage in singing activities. The school run a lunchtime choir and along with this, singing assemblies and lessons (either weekly or blocked during our curriculum weeks) vocal development is promoted. We do this through warm-up exercises, repertoire choices, and the use of singing techniques that foster correct breathing, pitch, and diction.
Instrumental and Ensemble playing	We offer instrumental lessons in KS2, allowing pupils to learn to play an instrument. Pupils can also partake in musical afterschool clubs.
Collaboration and partnerships	We actively collaborate with local music hubs, professional musicians, and community organisations to enhance our music provision. Visiting artists, musicians, and cultural groups are invited to perform and work with our pupils, exposing them to diverse musical experiences. We have built partnerships with secondary school music departments to ensure a smooth transition and continuity in music education.

Impact

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied music curriculum, which allows pupils to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon.

The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a pupil may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection.

Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to pupils individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world.

Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.

Music at Lodge Primary School is assessed through questioning, observations and recording processes. A recording is taken at the start of each half term and then again each week. The music learning journey is tracked weekly through these recordings. Teachers at the end of each half term use the end recordings and grade the children against the assessment indicators. Alongside this, a floor book is used across the school to show the Music coverage over time.