“Music is life itself.”
Louis Armstrong, jazz trumpeter (1901-1971)

At Flanshaw, we believe that music has a hugely positive impact on emotional, physical and mental well-being. In the same way that we teach children literacy and numeracy to prepare them for adult life, we must also give them the musical tools they need for a lifetime of music-making, appreciation and enjoyment. Learning music provides children with experiences and skills which develop their creativity. It also provides children with a source of joy, comfort, shared experience and making memories. Our music curriculum ensures that all of our children learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and to have the opportunity to develop their musical interests and talents. 

It also teaches children to develop an appreciation of different genres, we aim to expose our children to a wide variety of artists, music types and composers over their years at Flanshaw.

The National Curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions. 

Teachers at Flanshaw use the Kapow Music Scheme, which fulfils the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and provides clear progression through each year group. The curriculum is taught through four main strands: 

• Performing
• Listening
• Composing and improvising 
• The history of music 

The inter-related dimensions of music are the 'building blocks' of music, and run throughout the scheme as an over-arching strand: 

● Pulse
● Pitch
● Duration
● Dynamics
● Tempo
● Timbre
● Texture
● Structure
● Appropriate musical notation

Children are taught music regularly in school, so that they are given the time to consolidate their learning, and develop control and fluency when performing. 

Instrumental Lessons 

The DfE’s Model Music Curriculum 2021 states that:
‘In Years 3 or 4, it is recommended that each class should start a whole-class instrumental
programme lasting a minimum of one term...Opportunities for development should
continue beyond the mandatory term.’
 

In Year 3, children at Flanshaw are taught whole-class ukelele lessons in three half-term blocks. This provides them with key understanding of reading and following staff notation, which they will continue to develop as they move through KS2. This core knowledge also helps to develop their confidence as composers.

In addition to this, children in Year 5 are also taught whole class violin lessons in another three half-term blocks.  This gives children the opportunity to consolidate their learning from Year 3 and put into practice the technical musical skills they learned.  

Music in the Early Years 

The Kapow Music Schemes aligns with the 2021 EYFS Statutory Framework, which states that: 

• Children sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.
• Children perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time with music.

Staff in EYFS also support children in their use of music as part of child-led play, whether singing songs, listening to music, dancing or playing instruments. This allows the children to express their creativity and emotions, as well as reaching a deeper level of musical understanding. Music is embedded in daily routines such as movement breaks, as well as in other areas of learning, such as nursery rhymes in English and number songs in Maths. 

Singing

Singing has many social, physical, psychological and educational benefits. Our weekly singing assemblies give children the opportunity to improve their singing and performance skills, as well as helping to develop a shared sense of identity and enjoyment. Children also experience singing to a larger audience in our nativities, carol concerts, Easter services and harvest festival.