Arkwright Primary School

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Music at Arkwright 

 "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything."  (Plato)

Intent- Why is Music so important?

  • Children will perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a wide variety of music across a variety of historical periods, genres, types and traditions.
  • Children will develop their skills in inquiry and critical thinking
  • Children will learn to use their voices and learn to play a variety of instruments and use these skills to compose their own music.
  • Children will form their own musical opinions and learn to make their own musical decisions.
  • Children will gain an understanding of historical and cultural contexts related to music
  • Children will develop an understanding of how music is created, produced and communicated.
  •  Children will learn about and deepen their musical understanding and connect this with their place in their community.
  • Children will become globally aware and understand what it means to become a citizen of the world.
  • Children will be encouraged to express their ideas and feelings through music.
  • Children will begin to feel and learn about social connectivity
  • Through music, children will develop resourcefulness and perseverance, tolerance and self-confidence.
  • Brain develops by the nurture of language, motor skills, emotional intelligence and collaboration skills.
  • Develop teamwork skills such as negotiation and discussion, to be able to play instruments and to perform music.

 

Implementation- How do we plan, teach and assess Music?

Each unit has a Musical Spotlight and a Social Question (explained below) and sets out sequences of learning around songs in key musical areas. Over time, all of this contributes towards the steadily increasing development of musical learning. The music, Musical Spotlights and Social Themes all grow together to support the development of a whole, happy and musical child.

Each unit of work has a Musical Spotlight. Just like the Social Questions, the Musical Spotlights deepen as the children move through the Scheme. They offer an opportunity for a musical focus in each unit and a way to deepen the children’s musical knowledge and understanding. Each Musical Spotlight highlights a musical activity and/or musical element to be discussed, learnt about and integrated into each lesson of the unit. This can be done through the unit songs. We use the Musical Spotlights flexibly within each lesson. We will tell the audience about them when introducing the performance. Each unit is centred on a Social Question, where children are encouraged to think deeply about the world, their communities and their relationships with others.

Key Stage 1- Year 1/2

Cycle A

Year 1 autumn term 1 project:  My Musical Heartbeat

In this project, the children will learn about pulse and beat, through listening and singing to songs and: marching, clapping and swaying in time to the beat.  They will explore the social question: How Can We Make Friends When We Sing Together? They will also play, improve and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G

Year 1 autumn term 2 project:  Dance, Sing, Play

In this project, the children will learn about ‘rhythm’ and high and low sounds that are called ‘pitch’. Tjey will dance, sing and play instruments with the music to explore those sounds and how they work together. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Tell Stories About the Past? They will also play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A

Year 1 spring term 1 project: Exploring Sounds

In this project, they will learn that music is made up of high and low sounds, long and short sounds, and loud and quiet sounds and will explore these sounds, through creating their own very simple melodies. They will delve into the social question: How Does Music Make the World a Better Place? They will also play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A

Year 1 spring term  2 project: Learning to Listen

This projects focuses on the importance of listening through your ears, eyes and also the feeling in your body. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Help Us to Understand Our Neighbours? They will also sing, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A

Year 1 summer term 1 project: Having Fun With Improvisation

In this project, the children will improvise, where they will create something new, which can be a melody or a rhyme, and they can do it as a solo or within a group. They will explore the social question: What Songs Can We Sing to Help Us Through the Day? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A

 

Year 1 summer term 2 project: Let’s Perform Together

This projects focuses on performing, where the children will plan a performance to celebrate the songs they have learnt throughout the year. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Teach Us About Looking After Our Planet?  They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B

Cycle B

Year 2 autumn term 1 project: Pulse, Rhythm and Pitch

This project explores pulse, rhythm and pitch which will be taught through singing, listening, dancing and playing music. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Help Us to Make Friends? They will also improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A

Year 2 autumn term 2 project: Playing in an Orchestra

This project is about playing together through ensembles, bands and groups; one of the groups is an orchestra, which they will delve into more detail. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Teach Us About the Past? They will sing, listen, play improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B

Year 2 spring term 1 project: Inventing a Musical Story

This project focuses on how music can be to help us to tell a strory and express out feelings, which can be through loud or soft, fast or slow, smooth and connected, or short and detached music. They will use instruments with different sounds to help communicate a story and different emotions. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Make the World a Better Place? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 2 spring term 2  project: Recognising Different Sounds

This project shows the importance of harmonies of when voices or instruments work together to create different pitches and sounds at the same time. They will explore the

social question: How Does Music Teach Us About Our Neighbourhood? They will also improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 2 summer term 2 project: Exploring Improvisation

This project will explore improvisation a bit further, where they will use two or three notes and have a go playing or singing on their own. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Make Us Happy? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 2 summer term 2  project: Our Big Concert

This project is putting on a performance of all the songs they have learnt. They will explore the

social question: How Does Music Teach Us About Looking After Our Planet? They will sing, play, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

 

 

Key Stage Two (Year 3/4) Reading notation is introduced as an option in year 3.

Cycle A

Year 3 autumn term 1project: Writing Music Down

This project teaches the children Long and short (rhythm) and high and low (pitch) sounds that can be represented by musical symbols. These symbols can be written on a stave and named with special musical names. This helps the children to remember what they are going to sing and play. They will explore the notes, crotchets and minims within the music they learn. They will see how these notes can fit on the lines and spaces of a stave. They will also explore the social question: How Does Music Bring Us Closer Together? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

Year 3 autumn term 2 project: Playing in a Band

This projects shows the importance of working together. They will learn how to read the notation of one of the easy instrumental parts when playing together. They will learn that a steady beat is organised by time signatures which tell us how many beats there are in each bar. They will explore different instruments that have different pitches that create the same sound at the same time, creating harmonies. They will explore the social question: What Stories Does Music Tell Us About the Past? They will listen, sing, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

Year 3 spring term 1project: Compose Using Your Imagination

 

This projects enables the children to use their imagination, when creating their  compositions. They wil create melodies that tell a story. They will also explore the social question: How Does Music Make the World a Better Place The children will listen, sing, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, B.

 

Year 3 spring term 2 project: More Musical Styles

 

This project focuses on dynamics, where music can be loud to quiet or quiet to loud. They will know that loud sounds are called ‘forte’ and quiet sounds are called ‘piano’ and know that these change through music. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Help Us Get to Know Our Community? They will sing, play, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, B.

 

Year 3 summer term 1project: Enjoying Improvisation

 

The children will look at structure and patterns of songs that they can recognise, whicy will be through: listening, singing, playing and improvising, Introduction, verse, and chorus. They will improvise over a section of the song and analyse it. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Make a Difference to Us Every Day? They will be using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 3 summer term 2 project: Opening Night

 

This project is about presenting a performance

with an understanding of the songs they are singing and where they fit in the world and they can create their own band. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with Our Planet?They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Cycle B

Year 4 autumn term 1 project: Musical Structures

 

This project focuses on the patterns in the sections of music and songs within this unit. They will look at how verses and choruses can repeat or alternate and these provide structure in music. The children will explore the social question: How Does Music Bring Us Together?

They will sing, play, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭

Year 4 autumn term 2 project: Exploring Feelings When You Play

 

This project focuses on how special effects in music can make the words we sing more meaningful and the sounds that we hear in music can also help to communicate specific moods. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with Our Past? They will listen, sing, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 4 spring term 1 project: Compose With Your Friends


This project focuses on how Music is often written based on various key signatures that guide melodies used in the music. They will know that thee is often a note that sounds like ‘home’, or where a melody should ‘land’. This is called the ‘tonic pitch’ or the ‘home note’ and makes a melody or a song sound final – like it has been resolved. They will practice listening, singing, and playing instruments to explore this important note in music. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Improve Our World? They will also improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 4 spring term 2 project: Feelings Through Music

This project is for the children to express their feelings.  They will also use instruments with different sounds to help communicate different emotions and try to connect their feelings with what they hear. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Teach Us About Our Community? They will sing, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 4 summer term  1 project: Expression and Improvisation

 

This project focuses on making their  improvisation more expressive by adding dynamics. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Shape Our Way Of Life? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 4 summer term 2 project: The Show Must Go On!

This project focuses on the importance of performing with confidence.  They will learn about what the songs are about and any other connections. They can create simple bands. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with the Environment? They will listen, play, sing, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B, B, C♯.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Stage Two (Year 5/6)

Cycle A

Year 5 autumn term 1 project: Melody and Harmony in Music

This project focuses on melodies and harmonies. They will know that a melody (or a tune) is a group of notes played one after another and 'melody' contrasts with 'harmony'. Harmony means notes which are played at the same time, like chords. They will explore the voices that sing the melodies and the instruments used within the music in this unit to create the harmonies. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Bring Us Together? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A, A♭, B♭, B.

Year 5 autumn term 2 project: Sing and Play In Different Styles

This project focuses on grooves, tempos and beats. They will sing and play in different styles with grooves being part of being in a band or an ensemble. They will learn about music from all around the world, too. They will know that ‘tempo’ refers to the speed of the beat – or how fast or slow the music sounds and sometimes tempos stay the same throughout a song, and sometimes they change. The children will explore the various tempos of the music in this unit. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with Our Past? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A♭, A, B♭, B.

Year 5 spring term 1 project: Composing and Chords

This project focuses on pitches and chords in compositions. They will play three or more pitches together to create chords in music and will know that chords provide the basis for accompaniment in music. The children will create an accompaniment and the composition extension activities that will help them to learn about chords. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Improve Our World?  They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A♭, A, B♭, B.

Year 5 spring term 2 project: Enjoying Musical Styles

This project focuses on styles of music and textures. They will know that there are many styles of music and that texture makes it interesting. They will understand that ‘Texture’ refers to the layers of sound you hear in a piece of music. Texture can be the number of voices and instruments you hear at once. Styles of music have different textures.They will xplore how voices and instruments combine to create texture in music and the social question: How Does Music Teach Us About Our Community? They will sing, play, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, E♭, F♯, F, G, A♭, A, B♭.

Year 5 summer term 1 project:  Freedom To Improvise

 

This project shows the importance of improvisation and how it gives them the freedom to express themselves.
They will look at notes that are further apart  (skipping motion ) and right next to each other (stepping motion). They will explore the social question: How Does Music Shape Our Way Of Life? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 5 summer term 2 project: Battle of the Bands!

This project is where they showcase all they have learnt thoughout the year. They can do this either in groups or solo. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with the Environment? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A♭, A, B♭.

Cycle B

Year 6 autumn term 1 project: Music and Technology

This prjoject is where the children will make connections between music and technology and whether they can tell the difference between the live sounds and digital sounds. The YuStudio projects in the YuStudio tab will teach them invaluable skills in music production that will enrich and enhance their musical journey and inspire their creativity. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Bring Us Together? They will play, sing, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 6 autumn term 2 project: Developing Ensemble Skills

This project will be focusing on dynamics and expression and reading a notated instrumental part. By They will know about the gradual changes from soft to loud (“crescendo”) or from loud to soft (“decrescendo”) that can help make music more exciting. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with Our Past? They will sing, play, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 6 spring term 1 project:  Creative Composition

This project focuses on using chords in compositions, that can create music that is more harmonically interesting. They will explore how chords are used within the music in this unit by listening and responding to La Bamba and looking at the composition extension activities for Disco Fever. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Improve Our World? They will play, sing, listen, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, C♯, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 6 spring term 2 project: Musical Styles Connect Us

This project explores how the different styles of music in this unit developed from different social themes and their social Question is: How Does Music Teach Us About Our Community? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, C♯, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B.

Year 6 summer term 1 project:  Improvising with Confidence

This project gets the children thinking about phrasing and dynamics. They will know a ‘phrase’ is sort of like a ‘musical sentence’ and a melody is made up of many phrases – just like a paragraph is made up of many sentences. They will explore how phrases fit together to make a melody. They will gain an understanding of  changing the dynamics of music and that we can make music more interesting, though gradual changes from soft to loud (‘crescendo’) or from loud to soft (‘diminuendo’) can help make music more exciting. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Shape Our Way Of Life? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, C♯, D, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A♭, A, B♭, B.

 

Year 6 summer term 2 project: Farewell Tour

This project will be about a special performance, so will include songs and music that represent the class. They might perform in small groups or bands and as a whole class. They will explore the social question: How Does Music Connect Us with the Environment? They will sing, listen, play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, C♯, D, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A♭, A, B♭, B.

 

Assessment through the key stages is continuous and subsequent evaluations inform future planning and delivery. For every unit, there is a base line quiz at the beginning of the unit and then an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6, which will support teacher assessments.

Analysis of data and monitoring, from our progression ladders, indicates which children are below, towards, working at and above expectations, which is recorded on O Track.

Each week, children have the opportunity to win an Arts Certificate, which is to celebrate Arts completed in the week at school. This enables any child the chance to succeed and win the certificate as it is aimed at Art and other Arts subjects. 

Children will feel confident in being able to explore all aspects of Music had a broad and balanced curriculum and feel inspired with the skills and knowledge they have been taught for their future.

Musician of the Month- Florence Price 

Every day, in assembly, the children listen to songs from Florence Price.  Here is a poster, which tells you key information about her. 

 

price poster.pdf

 

2022/23

Autumn Term

All children from EYFS to Y6, went to the Winding Wheel to enjoy the experience of the pantomime! The performance was 'Sleeping Beauty' and all children had the best time!

 

Spring Term

  • All children in KS2 have been given the opportunity to attend Young Voices at Sheffield Arena.

 

Young Voices 

The School Councillors raised enough money last year to pay for all children to attend Young Voices at Sheffield Arena in 2023! We are very excited and are currently learning the songs in assembly by Miss Martin and Mrs Rowland!

 KS2 children have been sent a link for them to go on their music portal to practice their songs, alternatively you can click on these links to learn and the lyrics and songs:

/i/video/22-LY-Dont_Worry_Mashup.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Just_Around_The_Riverbend.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Message__1_.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Milligantics.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Nile_Rodgers_Disco_Party.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Over_The_Hills.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Pop_Medley_From_Trolls.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Proud.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Rockstar.mp4

 

/i/video/22-LY-Sing_From_Your_Heart.mp4

 

 In the children's assembly, the children have been learning the songs: 'Wake Up' and 'Spring Chicken', ready for The Arkwright Bake Off and Easter.

If your child wants to practice the songs, here is a link to parts of the song as we cannot get the full song, but there are the main parts on: