Detail | Information |
Academic year that this summary covers | 2024/25 |
Date this summary was published | 21/11/2024 |
Date this summary will be reviewed | July 2024 |
Name of the school music lead | Joseph Phillips-Alexander |
Name of local music hub | Nottinghamshire Music Hub |
Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place) | We Create Music |
This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our pupils across three areas – curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences – and what changes we are planning in future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education.
This is about what we teach in lesson time and how much time is spent teaching music.
From September 2024, Arnold Mill have started following the Sing Up scheme of music. Previously, children were taught using the Charanga scheme of music. We hope that by switching to Sing Up, we will increase our children's enjoyment and depth of knowledge in music.
What is Sing Up’s intention for Sing Up Music?
Sing Up aims for every child to have access to high-quality, practical, and engaging musical experiences through our pupil and teacher resources.
We want all children to develop the self-confidence, skills, knowledge, and understanding to develop a lifelong love of music, whilst also providing a secure foundation that enables them to take music further should they wish to. With each unit and every lesson plan, our aim is to provide great teaching resources and clear delivery guidance that saves teachers time, supports their subject knowledge, and gives them confidence in teaching music practically.
Sing Up Music is designed and written by subject specialists. It sets out the skills, knowledge, and understanding to be gained by all pupils at each stage of learning, including the Early Years Foundation Stage. Sing Up units represent are a library of resources that meet the requirements of the National Curriculum for Music, the suggested approaches of the Model Music Curriculum, as well as the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage and Music Development Matters. We also believe that a music curriculum should draw on a broad range of musical traditions, using authentic songs and materials, and have followed this approach when creating Sing Up Music. Our school music curriculum ins informed but the non-statutory model music curriculum, published buy the DFE in 2021.
When do pupils learn music?
In EYFS, nursery children learn through song throughout the day. Sing Up have a variety of songs and activities, which staff can dip into and revisit. In F2, music lessons are around 30 minutes per week. In the run up to Christmas, children spend time rehearsing songs for the nativity. Staff in foundation also plan musical activities for pupils to access through continuous provision.
In key stage one, music is taught for 40 minutes per week. In key stage two, pupils learn music for an hour per week, alternating with french lessons every half-term.
Pupils have the opportunity to sing in most lessons. Pupils play an array of tuned and untuned percussion in music lessons. Pupils focus on playing glockenspiel and xylophone in years 3 and 4. Pupils revisit these instruments throughout years 5 and 6
Music for SEND pupils
We aim for SEND pupils to be included in all music lessons. Staff have high expectations of pupils in music lessons. Staff consider how music lessons may be challenging for pupils with sensory needs and make appropriate adjustments. Staff have the opportunity to differentiate for SEND pupils, for example using chime bars rather than a glockenspiel as chime bars have a lower cognitive demand. Our aim is always for SEND pupils to be included, enjoy music lessons and make progress.
This is about opportunities for pupils to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, and how pupils can make progress in music beyond the core curriculum.
The following clubs are free after-school clubs, which are run by school staff:
Club sign up forms are sent out half-termly via the school newsletter.
The following clubs are run by outside providers. These lessons are paid for by parents and lessons run during the school day:
Other instrumental lessons:
We have discontinued drumming lessons due to low sign-up numbers. We review extra-curricular music lessons from outside providers yearly and we aim to offer lessons when there is significant interest.
This is about all the other musical events and opportunities that we organise, such as singing in assembly, concerts and shows, and trips to professional concerts.
Assemblies
Children at Arnold Mill sing every day at the start and end of every assembly. There are also weekly singing assembly on Wednesdays, where we practice school favourites and introduce new songs. We have a yearly music celebration assembly, in which pupils from each phase are nominated for an award based on their enthusiasm or ability in music lessons.
School performances
At Christmas there are three performances. Foundation and key stage 1 each perform their own Christmas nativities. Key stage two perform a Christmas concert outside for parents. Usually we sing contemporary and popular Christmas songs but this year we have opted to sing some good old-fashioned Christmas carols. In the Summer term, year six rehearse and perform and end of year musical.
Live music
Over the past two years, Arnold Mill has run a trip in the Summer term to see the Hallé orchestra at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham. The children enjoyed the trip and we intend to make this a yearly trip for year three pupils. The performance by the Hallé orchestra also includes some participation as the school is sent songs to practice in advance.
We aim to have one live performance in school per year. Last year, we were visited by Red Hill Academy's swing band which our pupils really enjoyed. This year we aim to have a live performance from a local band in the Summer term.
This is about what the school is planning for subsequent years.
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