Music

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity

Intent

Our intent at St. Thomas of Canterbury School is to deliver a broad and balanced Music curriculum that is ambitious, challenging and engaging. The curriculum is inclusive allowing all pupils to take part in various activities (including those who are disadvantaged and pupils with SEND,) such as playing an instrument, listening, appraising, composing, performing and learning about the history of music.

It is essential that all pupils:

Have the ability to appreciate music theoretically and audibly, as music is a universal language.
Develop a good awareness of different musical traditions and genres.
Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music.
Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.
Have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument – from Nursery to Year 6.
Perform, listen to, review and evaluate a range of music
Learn about the works of the great composers and musicians.

Besides being a creative and enjoyable activity, we believe that music can also be a highly academic and demanding subject creating a stimulating environment encouraging the development of listening, speaking, confidence and pupils’ musical ability regardless of ability.

Implementation

Will ensure by the end of the EYFS, children at the expected level of development should be able to: sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs, perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and try to move in time with music.

Pupils will explore musical skills by studying a famous composer, learning to develop their awareness about the different periods of music, the instruments and the notation used.

Pupils will be provided with a variety of activities such as using the interrelated dimensions of music such as pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and notation. In the EYFS, the focus is understanding tuned and untuned instruments. Pupils’ audio awareness is trained to enable them to distinguish between high and low notes.

In KS1, pupils begin to compose with meaning, whilst exploring different music traditions. They learn to manipulate their voice to create different sounds. They begin to use both graphic scores and musical notation to demonstrate their understanding of the different elements.

In KS2, pupils deepen their learning by composing and exploring a range of instruments. Pupils learn subject specific vocabulary such as ‘harmony’, ‘ostinato’ and ‘unison’.

They begin to produce musical notation using a treble cleft, crotchets, minims, semibreves, quavers and rests.

To offer this High-Quality Provision we offer:

Timetable curriculum music over an hour each week.
Small classes.
Access to lessons across a range of instruments.
A school choir and/or vocal ensemble/band.
Extra tuition and after school clubs.
Space for rehearsals and individual practice (music room.)
School performances.
Opportunities to perform in and out of school - public performances are encouraged to showcase talent and gain confidence.

Impact

Here in school, was have build a musical culture and identified potential/talent and continued to enrich children’s experience with music beyond the classroom.

At school, we expect everyone to:

Be a confident performer with all having learned to play an instrument.
Be a composer and a listener and be able to express themselves musically at and beyond school.
Show an appreciation for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social and historical contexts in which it is developed.
Demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal musical preferences.
Sing with accurate pitch in unison or harmony with attention to phrase and dynamics.
Increasingly enjoy both their music lessons and taking part in the wider musical life of the school.
Leave St Thomas of Canterbury School having achieved The London School of Music's graded examination up to the maximum of Level 5. - Over the last few years, all children achieved this grade and for the past two years, pupils had achieved a 100% Distinction grade (2023 & 2024).

Some, of our pupils have been offered scholarships in various instruments, owing to their talent.

Enrichment

St. Thomas of Canterbury School is an inclusive school, which creates every possibility for pupils to demonstrate and discover their abilities.

Whole class and extra-curricular instrumental sessions ensure all children have the opportunity to learn how to sing, appreciate music and play an instrument from Early Years and beyond.

All children receive formal music lessons by a music teacher for at least one hour a week.

The children have access to a wide array of instruments in school, including: drums (electric and acoustic), guitars (electric, acoustic & bass), ukuleles, keyboards, piano, marimbas, glockenspiels, xylophones, djembes & other percussion. These are then supplemented by other instruments brought into school for other unique opportunities.

Throughout the year, children are involved in music projects. These projects (taught by trained musicians) enable communities from all backgrounds to come together and perform in prestigious events and theatres developing pupils’ singing ability through the development of targeted singing techniques, listening and performance skills.

The school's choir has a reputation for being both large in number and wonderfully talented and therefore is asked to sing often at different events.

Composition through art pieces is our focus in Year 6, where children will visit the local art gallery and make their own music inspired by what they see.

Pupils have the opportunity to perform in public, in front of large audiences and take part in concerts, where they get to perform at prestigious events across the local area whilst developing networking skills with other schools. This allows the children to gain confidence in music and is transferable to other aspects of their lives.

St Thomas of Canterbury