Our approach
At Ark Castledown, we provide an extensive, diverse, and progressive music curriculum for all children within school (during school hours and enrichment).
This curriculum engages and inspires pupils to develop a love of music whilst also increasing their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.
This will include an ‘all year round’ programme of performance in school and out of school, making Ark Castledown a leading light in music education within the local community. We start our curriculum with the instrument we all have- our Voice.
This will also maximise cultural capital for all our children, their overall wellbeing and confidence, while creating a supportive community of music making.
Music at Ark Castledown is taught following the Ark Music Programme which ensures every child has access to high quality music-making opportunities through curriculum and planned enrichment that embrace a breadth of musical traditions and create pathways for progression. Music is taught for one hour in every class each week with all year groups experiencing learning music vocally, and Years 4 and 5 learning music instrumentally as well.
Our Music curriculum content supports pupils in developing 3 pillars:
The Pillars of Music
Pupils grow in technical proficiency including:
- Competence in controlling sound (instrumental, vocal or with music technology)
- Use of a communication system, such as staff notation
Pupils construct knowledge bases of:
- musical elements/interrelated dimensions of music
- components of composition
Pupils express:
- Musical quality
- Musical creativity
- Knowledge of musical meanings across the world and time
Image
Our aim is to integrate music into the fabric of our school community through taught music lessons, enrichment activities, trips, artist visits, critical listening and assemblies. The three main considerations are:
- The taught curriculum
- Peripatetic instrumental lessons and enrichment
- Musical events and opportunities
Image
Image
Image
Music development plan
To provide an extensive, diverse, and progressive music curriculum for all children within school. This will include an ‘all year round’ programme of performance in school and out of school
Reception
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn how to participate in teacher-led musical routines including: a) Whole class singing games b) Musical commands c) Turn taking. Explore vocal sounds through songs. | Responds to musical routines with physical engagement and individual responses. Recognise and memorise a small repertoire of simple songs. Recognise and use the ‘5 Voices’ imaginatively. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Sing simple so-mi songs from memory with vocal accuracy. Offer made-up or improvised responses in singing games. | FOCUS ON PULSE & RHYTHM Show a physical representation of - Pulse - Rhythm through spoken word & body percussion - Note duration. Use the 5 voices to gain better control of the singing voice. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Builds ensemble skills with classmates in singing games and activities. FOCUS ON PITCH Develop an understanding of note duration through the use of picture notation. Sing “So-Mi-La” songs with vocal accuracy and in unison. | FOCUS ON ALL ELEMENTS Use movement to express a wide range of musical elements (Tempo, Pitch & Rhythm). Gain control over a range of 5-6 notes. Match the pitch of a vocal leader, supported by gesture. |
All Reception subjects Next Reception Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing Musicianship Skills. In this unit, pupils will be exploring musicianship by participating in a range of musical games, activities. Developing an understanding of the music classroom culture, routines and expectations. | Establishing Musicianship Skills. In this unit, pupils will be exploring musicianship by participating in a range of musical games, activities. Developing an understanding of the music classroom culture, routines and expectations. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Exploring musicianship: Rhythm. engage with the concept of rhythm through a variety of aural games and activities. They revisit familiar songs and activities learning to clap the rhythm of the words. | Exploring musicianship: Pitch. recognise and distinguish between high and low pitch through a variety of aural games and activities. They revisit familiar songs demonstrating the two pitches using body signs and solfa hand signs, and improvise simple 2/3 note melodies. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| et’s Get Creative: Creating your own music. In this unit pupils will bring together the skills and knowledge from the previous units, learning to use rhythm, pulse and pitch in the creation of their own class composition based on ‘The Gruffalo’. | Showtime! Rehearsing and performing. In this unit pupils will focus on preparing their performance of their ‘Gruffalo’ compositions and two songs. They learn how to rehearse and to consider what makes a successful performance. |
All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing Musicianship Skills. They will participate in a range of more complex musical games and activities designed to improve their sense of rhythm, pulse and their ability to pitch accurately. They will memorise another bank of songs and rhymes developing their musical memory and internal hearing. This repertoire will be revisited throughout the year to ensure that progression is built on prior knowledge and skills. | Establishing Musicianship Skills. They will participate in a range of more complex musical games and activities designed to improve their sense of rhythm, pulse and their ability to pitch accurately. They will memorise another bank of songs and rhymes developing their musical memory and internal hearing. This repertoire will be revisited throughout the year to ensure that progression is built on prior knowledge and skills. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Exploring musicianship: Rhythm. Engage with the concept of rhythm through a variety of aural games and activities. They revisit familiar songs from Unit 1 developing their ability to clap and identify different rhythm patterns. They learn to distinguish between rhythm and pulse, improvise rhythms patterns and compose their graphic symbols | Exploring musicianship: Pitch. recognize and distinguish between high and low pitch through a variety of aural games and activities. Improvise simple 3 note melodies. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Let’s Get Creative: Creating your own music. In this unit pupils will bring together the skills and knowledge from the previous units, learning to use rhythm, pulse and pitch in the creation of their own class composition based on Roald Dahl's book ‘George’s Marvelous Medicine’ | Showtime! Rehearsing and performing. In this unit pupils will focus on preparing their performance of their ‘George’s Marvelous Medicine’ compositions and two songs. They learn how to rehearse and to consider what makes a successful performance. |
All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing Musicianship Skills. In this unit, pupils will continue developing their musicianship; their musical memory, internal hearing and reinforcing musical elements. They develop singing through a repertoire of songs in the Pentatonic scales. | Establishing Musicianship Skills. In this unit, pupils will continue developing their musicianship; their musical memory, internal hearing and reinforcing musical elements. They develop singing through a repertoire of songs in the Pentatonic scales. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Exploring musicianship: Rhythm. Develop the ability to distinguish between different rhythm patterns and learn to read and notate the rhythm of familiar songs from Unit 1. | Exploring musicianship: Pitch. Further work around the pentatonic scale. Learning to sing in two parts: partner songs and rounds. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Let’s Get Creative: Creating your own music. Using skills and knowledge from previous units, pupils create their own class composition based on Freedom songs. | Showtime! Rehearsing and performing. Pupils learn how to rehearse, develop and respond to rehearsal and performance directions and to consider what makes a successful performance. |
All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs, developing a deeper understanding of pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure, and tonality. Ukulele. | Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs and reinforcing musical culture in the classroom. Ukulele. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Developing musical roots: Rhythm. Start to work with compound time. Reading, writing aurally recognising rhythms. Developing, rehearsing and performing effective rhythmic ostinati. Ukulele. | Developing musical roots: Pitch. Working with the diatonic major and minor tonalities. Working with a repertoire of songs and tuned percussion to explore octaves. Ukulele. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Getting creative. Create a whole class piece inspired by World Music, either African or Latin. Contributing, rehearsing and developing musical ideas. Ukulele. | Rehearsing and performing. Rehearsing and performing in small groups and whole class. Giving and receiving feedback and responding to rehearsal and performance directions. Ukulele. |
All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs, developing a deeper understanding of pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure, and tonality. Ukulele. | Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs and reinforcing musical culture in the classroom. Ukulele. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Developing musical roots: Rhythm. Start to work with compound time. Reading, writing aurally recognising rhythms. Developing, rehearsing and performing effective rhythmic ostinati. Ukulele. | Developing musical roots: Pitch. Working with the diatonic major and minor tonalities. Working with a repertoire of songs and tuned percussion to explore octaves. Ukulele. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Getting creative. Create a whole class piece inspired by World Music; either African or Latin. Incorporating basic chords on a melodic instrument into class topic work. Ukulele. | Rehearsing and performing. Rehearsing and performing in small groups and whole class. Giving and receiving feedback and responding to rehearsal and performance directions. Ukulele. |
All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Art and Design Technology
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs, developing a deeper understanding of pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure, and tonality. Developing a deeper understanding and musical culture in the class. | Establishing strong musical roots. Develop singing through a repertoire of songs and reinforcing musical culture in the classroom. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Developing musical roots: Rhythm. Start to work with compound time. Reading, writing aurally recognising rhythms. Developing, rehearsing and performing effective rhythmic ostinati | Developing musical roots: Pitch. Working with the diatonic major and minor tonalities. Working with a repertoire of songs and tuned percussion to explore octaves |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Getting creative. Create a whole class piece inspired by World music; either African or Latin. | Rehearsing and performing. Rehearsing and performing in small groups and whole class. Giving and receiving feedback and responding to rehearsal and performance directions. |
All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Art and Design Technology