Music
Music Intent Statement:
At St. Matthew's Catholic Primary School, the teaching of music aims to engage pupils in music and develop a love of it. We want children to develop an understanding and appreciation of different genres of music, from pop and rock to classical, folk and religious music. Music lessons should give children the opportunity to understand the language of music both in terms of the technical vocabulary needed to learn a musical instrument and as a form of communication. Children are given opportunities to play and compose music together which allows them to experience how music connects and unites people. As a Catholic school, music is an essential part of worship assemblies and children experience the beauty of singing in class and as a whole school on multiple occasions each week.
Implementation:
The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the wider programme of study as well as weekly singing assemblies and opportunities to practice and perform through the Diocese singing provision. In Year 3 and 4, children have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and in doing so they understand the different principles of creating notes, as well as how to devise and read their own musical scores and basic music notation. Children in Year 1, 2 and 5 have weekly singing sessions led by the Diocese Schools Singing Programme where they learn musical vocabulary, music appreciation and singing in different languages. Composing or performing using body percussion, vocal sounds, technology and percussion instruments is also part of the curriculum.
Impact
As a result of this curriculum, children at St. Matthew's will be able to respond to a variety of music including music from different periods and cultures. Children will be able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. They will feel confident when discussing music and comprehending its parts. They will be able to sing, feel a pulse, add rhythms and create melodies in a group and they can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.