Intent Implementation & Impact

INTENT

At Bowdon Church School, music is a highly valued, integral part of our school life. We encourage a value of music because it is one of the most powerful and unique forms of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think and act. We believe that teaching music helps the body and the mind work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression and keep fit. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their musical potential and we aim to nurture and encourage musical development across the school.

We aim for our music curriculum to give all children fun, practical and inspiring experiences so that they can enjoy all aspects of music. We believe music is an important part of our wider curriculum that gives children opportunities to express themselves in a less academic way than, for example, the basic skills of reading, writing and maths. Children are actively encouraged and given the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument, from standard classroom instruments to individual instrumental lessons with visiting music specialists.

IMPLEMENTATION

Music is planned in line with the statements laid out in the national curriculum and with cross-curricular links where possible. Children at BCS are extremely lucky to receive a term of weekly music lessons and instrumental projects with a specialist music teacher and then class teachers deliver music following the Charanga programme for the rest of the school year. Designed specifically for the teaching of music in primary schools, Charanga lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding. We use Charanga to supplement and provide extra support and resources to enhance music teaching. Charanga provides many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enable understanding of the context and genre. 

The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. Termly, classes take part in instrumental projects. Delivered by specialist teachers, these projects have included the following: glockenspiels, fife, flute, ukulele, trumpet and samba. Playing various instruments enables children to use a range of methods to create notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. 

We enrich our music curriculum with many opportunities for children to perform and develop a wide range of skills both inside and outside of the classroom. All children part-take in instrumental projects provided by the school music specialists and Trafford Music Service. Extra curricular opportunities include singing as part of one of our 4 choirs; singing with the school in assemblies and church services; taking part in annual musical events such as carol services, choir festivals, instrumental concerts and musical performances. 

IMPACT

By the time children leave our school they will have a rapidly widened repertoire which they will be able to use to create original, imaginative, fluent and distinctive composing and performance works.

This will be evident through:

• A musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise.

• Awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres.

• An understanding of how musical provenance - the historical, social and cultural origins of music - contributes to the diversity of musical styles.

• The ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately.

• A passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities.