Music

Intent

At St Edward’s, our Music curriculum places children at the heart of all that we do, rooted firmly in our Catholic faith and inspired by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

We believe music is a powerful means of expression, creativity, worship and celebration. Our Music curriculum is designed to nurture the whole child - intellectually, spiritually, morally, socially and emotionally - whilst enabling every pupil to develop a lifelong appreciation of music and the confidence to participate musically.

Our carefully designed curriculum:

Promotes high expectations for all and is inclusive, meeting the needs of all learners regardless of starting point, background or need

Develops pupils’ musicianship through listening, singing, performing, composing and appraising

Builds knowledge and skills progressively, ensuring children revisit, secure and extend their learning over time

Enables children to experience a wide range of musical traditions, genres, composers and cultures, broadening their cultural capital and understanding of the world

Supports pupils to use their voices and instruments with confidence, encouraging creativity, self-expression and independence

Encourages collaboration, perseverance and resilience, as children learn to rehearse, refine and perform

Celebrates music as part of worship and liturgy, helping children to recognise music as a gift and a form of praise

Develops children’s ability to listen attentively and respond critically, fostering reflection, curiosity and appreciation

Provides opportunities for all children to take part in enrichment experiences, performances and musical events that are meaningful, memorable and rooted in the life of the school

Nurtures Gospel virtues, enabling children to share their talents generously and to recognise the value of every person’s contribution

Our Music curriculum is carefully sequenced to build on prior knowledge progressively, ensuring coherence, progression and depth across all year groups, while inspiring a lifelong love of music

We provide a rich range of wider opportunities, including virtual music events, concerts, orchestra visits, and peripatetic music lessons and enrichment experiences which all help the children to learn about different musical artists and styles. This ensures that the children’s learning is meaningful, memorable and connected to the wider world.

We use Pupil Voice throughout the year to ensure that children feel heard and valued, and that they actively shape their learning experiences and school community.

Implementation

Our Music curriculum is implemented through high-quality teaching, underpinned by clear structure, consistency and progression across the school.

Learning is carefully sequenced and coherently planned, enabling pupils to build knowledge and skills over time and make meaningful musical connections

Teachers use structured and high-quality resources and planning with clear end points, ensuring rigour, consistency and progression

Pupils are taught to sing in tune, keep a steady pulse, recognise simple notation, explore rhythm and pitch, and develop composing skills in age-appropriate ways

Lessons provide regular opportunities for children to listen to, discuss and evaluate music from a range of styles, traditions and historical periods

Pupils are given opportunities to perform, compose and improvise, both individually and collaboratively

Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of all learners, ensuring access, challenge and support for every child- Greater depth pupils are challenged through, higher-level musical thinking and opportunities to refine, evaluate and extend their work with increasing independence

A strong emphasis is placed on oral rehearsal, listening and response, enabling children to develop confidence and precision in their musical learning

Musical vocabulary is taught explicitly so that pupils can talk about music with increasing accuracy and confidence

Opportunities for critical thinking, creativity and reflection are embedded throughout, encouraging pupils to experiment, make choices and improve their work

Children are given opportunities to perform for others through class, key stage, school and liturgical events, helping them to develop confidence and pride in their achievements

Music is enriched via the wider curriculum by:

Opportunities for singing in assemblies, Mass and celebrations, supporting the spiritual life of the school

A range of enrichment experiences, including performances, visitors, workshops and participation in musical events, which enhance engagement and deepen understanding

Opportunities for pupil leadership and pupil voice, allowing children to contribute to the musical life of the school

A commitment to inclusion and participation, ensuring that every child has access to musical experiences and can succeed

Ongoing professional development for staff, ensuring that subject knowledge, pedagogy and confidence in teaching Music continue to strengthen over time.

Impact

The impact of our Music curriculum is reflected in the outcomes we see in our pupils and the strength of our school community.

Our children leave St Edward’s:

With a love and appreciation of music that continues beyond primary school

As confident performers, composers and listeners, able to express themselves musically

With the ability to talk about music using appropriate vocabulary and to respond thoughtfully to a range of musical styles

With a strong sense of creativity, collaboration and resilience, developed through musical learning and performance

As children who recognise music as part of worship, celebration and community life

Pupils at St Edward’s demonstrate:

Strong progress in musical knowledge, skills and understanding

The ability to perform, compose, improvise and appraise with increasing control and confidence

Positive attitudes towards Music, underpinned by curiosity, enjoyment and perseverance

The confidence to participate fully in musical opportunities within school and beyond

A growing understanding of how music reflects different cultures, traditions and periods of history.

Our Music curriculum ensures that all children thrive because:

It is continually reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of our learners

It is enriched through collaboration between staff, governors and the wider community

It places equal value on academic excellence, creativity, wellbeing and spiritual growth

Overall, our Music curriculum ensures that every child has the opportunity to develop their musical knowledge, skills and confidence, whilst enjoying rich and meaningful experiences that foster creativity, celebration and a lifelong appreciation of music. In doing so, it helps to shape them into respectful, collaborative and culturally aware citizens of the future, ready to contribute positively to their communities and the wider world.

Rocksteady

The children thoroughly enjoy playing their different instruments in the Rocksteady Band. They practise weekly and enjoy performing in end of term concerts.

The Brian Travers Music Room

After our amazing visit from UB40 we now have a wonderful new music room which is dedicated to the musician Brian Travers. This is a wonderful space for children to have lessons with their peripatetic teachers and also to enjoy making music together as a class.

UB40 Visit St Edward's

Towards the end of last year, we were blessed by a visit from local band UB40 . They joined us for a special assembly where each year group got to perform one of the bands' hits to the band themselves. It was a wonderful experience for all involved, and one which the children and staff will never forget.

Music Curriculum Overview