Music

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Curriculum Design

at West Didsbury CE Primary School


Principles of the Music Curriculum

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to engage with music of all styles and from all cultures, in order to develop their own musical journey. Our curriculum is based largely around the highly-acclaimed Charanga Model Music Curriculum, which is built on the following principles: 

  • Children will develop their skills in inquiry and critical thinking.
  • Children will begin to feel and learn about social connectivity.
  • Songs and singing lie at the heart of the learning process.
  • The scheme will help children to understand and connect with different styles of music from various cultures, particularly where cultures intersect.
  • Children will gain an understanding of historical and cultural contexts related to music.
  • Children will form their own musical opinions and learn to make their own musical decisions
  • Learning is fun, modern, inclusive and engaging.

How Learning is Sequenced

The spiral design of the Model Music Curriculum provides the opportunity for children to be immersed in music-making activities that deepen over their time at the school. 

Below are the units that children study each half term. See the home learning tab to access online materials that complement these units: 

  Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 1
My Musical Heartbeat Dance, Sing & Play! Exploring Sounds Learning to Listen Having Fun with Improvisation Let's Perform together!
Year 2 Pulse, Rhythm & Pitch Playing in an Orchestra Inventing a Musical Story Recognising Different Sounds Exploring Improvisation Our Big Concert
Year 3 Writing Music Down Playing in a Band Compose Using Your Imagination More Musical Styles Enjoying Improvisation Opening Night
Year 4 Musical Structures Exploring Feeling When You Play Compose with Your Friends Feelings Through Music Expression & Improvisation The Show Must Go On!
Year 5 Melody & Harmony in Music Sing & Play in Different Styles Composing & Chords Enjoying Musical Styles Freedom to Imrovise Battle of the Bands!
Year 6 Music & Technology Developing Ensemble Skills Creative Composition Musical Styles Connect Us Improvising with Confidence Farewell Tour

Introducing Theory and Notation in Key Stage 2 

In KS1, the children will begin to recognise a connection between sound and symbol. They will embed an understanding of pulse, rhythm and pitch, laying the foundations for KS2 where they will start to formally read music.

In KS2, the children will learn that one way of writing music down is through Western notation. 

Theory Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Crotchets

Paired Quavers

Minims

Semibreves

 

Semiquavers

 

 

Rest

Time Signatures
2/4, 3/4, 4/4.

Dynamics Piano
Forte
Crescendo
Diminuendo
Piano
Forte
Crescendo
Diminuendo
Piano
Forte
Crescendo
Diminuendo
Mezzo forte
Mezzo piano
Piano
Forte
Crescendo
Diminuendo
Mezzo forte
Mezzo piano
General Theory:
Stave, Barline, Clef

Keys,
Key Signatures
& Scales Covered
C major
G major
F major
A minor
E major
C major
g major
F major
A minor
D major
D minor
C major
g major
F major
A minor
D major
D minor
A major
Eb major
C major
g major
F major
A minor
D major
D minor
A major
F minor

 

 

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