QUEEN’S CRESCENT POLICY
MUSIC POLICY
Rationale
Music education should be concerned with bringing children into contact with the musical elements of performing, composing, transcribing, describing music and allowing the pupils opportunities to respond and evaluate work undertaken within these areas.
Aims and Objectives
Through the Chris Quigley Essentials curriculum we want children to:
- Develop skills to enable them to create original, imaginative and distinctive composing and performance work.
- Develop a good awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres and understand how the historical origins of music contribute to the diversity of musical styles.
- Use musical terminology effectively.
We also aim to:
- Develop a sensitive approach to sound in general and in particular to those organised patterns of sound called music
- Recognise and develop the child’s natural musical ability and awareness and to widen their experiences of sound
- Develop the ability and capacity to express ideas, thoughts and feelings symbolically through the medium of sound
- Extend their knowledge and use of musical language
- Develop collaborative and social skills and awareness through music making together
- Develop an awareness and listen to music traditions from a variety of cultures and societies and within this the use of various styles
- Foster positive attitudes towards music making and offer pupils the opportunities to experience personal satisfaction and self-confidence
Children should undertake a balanced programme of activities, building on previous work and achievement. There should be continuity and progression from one class to another and above all through both key stages they should be given the opportunity regardless of ability to be able to achieve their full potential.
Approaches to Teaching
The children will experience music in a variety of ways in Queen’s Crescent. This will include:
- Communal singing
- Class Lessons
- ICT Music
- KS2 Music Rotation
- Extra curricular Clubs
- Annual Year Group Music Productions
Where appropriate various aspects of music are explored through integrated topic work, assemblies and through class or school performances for varied audiences.
The children are given opportunities to listen to and appraise a wide range of music from a variety of cultures and periods. They also listen to a variety of musical styles as they come into and go out of assemblies. A range of live music is incorporated into assemblies from time to time during the school year when children perform to an audience.
Main Resources
Scheme – Music Express
A variety of scored music books
A large number of tuned and unpitched percussion instruments (including over 30 boomwhackers, handheld percussion, recorders, 7 sets of chime bars and African drums)
Keyboards
CD’s
All instruments are stored outside the studio and books can be found in the cupboard next to the instruments. Each year group is responsible for their own Music Express scheme book.
Assessment
The school’s assessment policy gives a detailed account of how assessment is carried out in the school. Assessments are carried out through teacher set tasks, focused observations, questioning of the children and reviewing the children’s work. Staff inform parents at parents evenings and through the annual reports.
Curriculum Links
This policy is supported by a range of whole school policies on, for example, learning, assessment and special needs that will guide and support the work described in the policy.
Equal Opportunities
All children will have an equal opportunity to work within this policy area. Account will be taken of their needs and where appropriate support for them will be accessed through the special needs policy.
Roles and Responsibilities
This policy has been developed through consultation between staff, the co-ordinator, head teacher and the governing body. The head teacher, deputy and subject co-ordinator monitor and evaluate the work achieved by the children in this area. The co-ordinator identifies areas for development, resource needs and helps in the moderation of standards across the school. The co-ordinator works with the linked subject governor so that they are aware of such issues. The co-ordinator also liaises with the link governor about their visits to school. The linked governor will also keep the governing body informed about developments in this area.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The monitoring and evaluation of the achievements made in this area of the curriculum is carried out through the guidelines in monitoring and evaluation. These set out how the head teacher, deputy head and co-ordinator use a range if strategies to assess the quality of achievements. The subject co-ordinator carries out termly evidence trails to assess specific areas in this subject. The class teachers however, have a key role in monitoring and evaluating their work and that of the children in their class. The head teacher works with the governing body to inform them about the work carried out within the school. The periodic reports either through Wiltshire’s school improvement programme or Ofsted inspections given independent and outside views on the standards achieved within this subject area.
Signed……………………………… Signed…………………………………
Mrs J Hawkins, Head teacher Chair of Governors
