INTENT
At Highfields Primary Academy, our music curriculum intends to inspire children to be creative, self-expressive and encourages them start on a musical journey which will ignite a passion for music. We will provide them the opportunities to connect with others and expose them to diverse musical experiences and musical cultures allowing them to become performers in a variety of situations. By listening to and responding to a variety of different styles, we will encourage them to find their voices and musical talent as singers, performers and composers, enabling them to become confident and reflective musicians.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our music curriculum is based around these threshold concepts for children at Highfields to:
- engage and be inspired to have a love of music
- develop self confidence, be creative and have a sense of achievement
- have opportunity to progress to musical excellence
- compose on their own and with others
- use their voice expressively and creatively, including singing and speaking
- learn a musical instrument
- develop critical engagement
- listen with discrimination to a variety of music genres
- review and evaluate
- use technology
- understand how music is created, produced and communicated.
Our curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom activities as well as weekly singing assemblies, the learning of instruments, playing as a class ensemble, various concerts and performances. The elements of music are taught in classroom lessons so children are able to use the language of music to discuss it, understand how it is made, played and appreciated. Children will understand the principles of creating notes as well as how to devise and read their own compositions and basic music notation. They will compose their own music and perform using body percussion, tuned percussion and keyboards. They will listen to a variety of music and musicians and offer their opinions of this music.
At Highfields Primary Academy, we use Charanga Music where children develop their understanding, make musical judgements, apply their new learning, develop their aural memory, express themselves physically, emotionally and through discussion and create their own musical ideas. The wide range of core resources have been developed specifically to motivate and capture each individual’s personal interest. The children not only learn about music; they become musicians who are able to share and perform using their new skills.
At Highfields Primary Academy, children have the opportunity to learn a tuned instrument at Key Stage 2, taught by a member of staff from the Primitas Learning Partnership. We also offer all children the opportunity to have lessons in keyboard, guitar and woodwind through Entrust Music Services. Children have the opportunity to be a part of the school choir where they will be able to perform in a variety of venues such as Lichfield Cathedral and BP Pulse Live, Birmingham.
Whole school assemblies will expose children to a variety of composers from different eras, covering a variety of genres.
Music In Early Years
A child’s music foundation begins in EYFS where they learn to sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs. They have the opportunity to perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others; this will eventually lead to them moving in time with music. EYFS also use Charanga Music as part of their music provision.
IMPACT
Our music curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression and build on and embed current skills. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills in the different musical components and teaching of vocabulary also forms part of the units of work. If children are achieving the knowledge and skills in lessons, then they are deemed to be making good or better progress. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice);
- Annual reporting and tracking of standards across the curriculum;
- Photo and video evidence of the pupils practical learning which is shared on our class and school Twitter pages;
- Use of the assessment tools provided within the Charanga scheme;
The impact of our music curriculum is also measured in the uptake of our music after school club and uptake of additional music 1:1 teaching.
Whole School Curriculum 2025 – 2026
Music Development Plan 2025Music Progression
Highfields Music Development Plan 2025-2026