At St Mary’s, we believe that music is transformative - an avenue for creativity, a path to self-confidence, and a means of uniting hearts and minds. Through the joy of music, we discover not only a sense of wonder, but also a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Guided by our vision - Aspiring, Nurturing, Flourishing; Together Shining Light - our music curriculum ensures every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of listening, singing, playing, composing, and performing. We empower each child to discover their voice, celebrate their uniqueness, and build meaningful connections. Together, we cultivate a love for music that brings both personal growth and collective joy, shaping the character and spirit of all who are part of our St Mary’s community.

Intent

Our music curriculum is designed to inspire, challenge, and engage every child, fostering a lifelong love for music. We believe that music is a powerful tool for self-expression, creativity, and personal growth. By learning music, students not only develop their musical skills but also grow in confidence, resilience, and understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Our music curriculum promotes inclusion and celebrates diversity, ensuring that all children, regardless of background or ability, have access to a rich, challenging, and enjoyable musical education. We welcome mistakes as a vital part of the learning process, encouraging children to take risks, reflect, and improve.

We are committed to providing opportunities for every child to listen, sing, play, compose, and perform, as these experiences help children develop essential life skills—such as teamwork, communication, and discipline—while nurturing their emotional well-being.

Our curriculum is designed to be flexible and responsive to the individual needs of each child, ensuring that it remains accessible and inspiring for all. We celebrate differences, embrace diversity, and offer opportunities to explore musical traditions from around the world, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultures within our school community.

Through music, we empower our children to discover their unique voice, express themselves freely, and develop a deeper understanding of their role within the global community. By embracing the joy of music, we aim to cultivate creativity, curiosity, and a passion for lifelong learning in all our students.

Implementation

At St Mary’s, we teach music through the inter-related dimensions of music, ensuring a cohesive and dynamic approach that supports each child's musical growth. These core dimensions—listening and appraising, creating sound, notation, improvising and composing, and performing—are embedded throughout all our music teaching, helping children build a deep and holistic understanding of music.

🎵 Listening & Appraising
Children listen to and critically evaluate a diverse range of music from various genres, styles, and cultures. They learn to identify key musical features, developing an appreciation for the historical, social, and cultural contexts of music.

🎶 Creating Sound
Through hands-on exploration of instruments, body percussion, and digital tools, children experiment with sound, developing their ability to create and shape their musical ideas.

🎼 Notation
Music notation is a key focus across all year groups. Children progressively build their ability to read, write, and interpret music, starting with simple rhythms and evolving to more complex notations as they grow.

🎤 Improvising & Composing
Children are encouraged to express their creativity through improvisation and composition, creating their own melodies and rhythms. These activities foster a sense of ownership and individuality in their musical learning.

🎻 Performing
Performing through singing and playing instruments is a cornerstone of our music curriculum. Children regularly perform in a variety of settings, including assemblies, concerts, and community events, building their confidence and developing teamwork skills.

Whole-Class Instrumental Learning
Children in Year 2 and above participate in whole-class instrumental learning, where they develop their skills on tuned instruments. This progressive approach prepares them for a comprehensive instrumental curriculum in the coming years:

• Year 2: Glockenspiel (one term)
• Year 3: Recorder (full year)
• Year 4: Recorder (one term)
• Year 5: Ukulele (two terms)
• Year 6: Ukulele (one term)

Whole class half termly unit

Outside of whole-class instrumental learning, we teach half termly units that have a structured yet flexible approach to music, incorporating all the key skills of listening, creating, improvising, composing, and performing. There are engaging and inspiring resources within our scheme that ensures children have opportunities to explore a wide range of musical activities, while developing their musicianship in a fun, hands-on, and progressive way.

Music in Worship

Music is central to Christian worship at St Mary’s, with children engaging in faith through:

• Singing Worship every Tuesday
• Listening to Music during Collective Worship, including our Composer of the Half-Term
• Performing at church services, school celebrations, and special events
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Diverse & Inclusive Curriculum

Through our Composer of the Half-Term initiative, we ensure that children engage with musicians from various cultures and backgrounds, fostering an understanding of music’s impact on society and promoting inclusivity.

Performance Opportunities
We provide numerous opportunities for children to perform, fostering confidence, collaboration, and a sense of achievement:

• Young Voices: A dedicated year group for enhanced preparation and experience
• Choir: Performing at local events and in the community
• Whole-School Performance: Held at St Mary’s Church in July
• Festivals: Musical performances at the Christmas and Summer fairs

Extra-Curricular Music Opportunities

We offer a range of extracurricular activities to deepen musical engagement, including:

• Instrument lessons in guitar, violin, and piano
• Choir
• Performance of Matilda in March 2025

Impact

The impact of our music curriculum is seen in the confidence, enthusiasm, and musical ability of our children. Through regular assessment, teacher observations, and pupil voice feedback, we ensure that:

- All children develop a solid foundation in music, from composing to performing.
- Pupils leave St Mary’s with a love of music and the confidence to continue exploring it beyond primary school.
- Music contributes to children’s well-being, teamwork, and self-expression, fostering resilience and creativity.
- Music plays a key role in Christian worship, allowing children to engage through singing, listening, and reflection.

At St Mary’s, we are aspiring, nurturing, and flourishing together through music, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to shine their light through creative expression, performance, and a love of music.