Music
At Birkby Junior School we are committed to delivering a high-quality music curriculum, which aims to inspire and nurture our pupils to become engaged, provide a vehicle for expression and to support personal development to increase self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As music reflects the culture and society we live in, then the teaching and learning of music will enable children to better understand the world they live in and help them to feel part of a community.
Our teaching of Music equips pupils with the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to create, play and perform music, as well as to listen to and appreciate a wide variety of musical forms across a range of historical periods, genres and cultures. Our pupils sing, create and compose music on their own and with others and have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument as part of a whole school ensemble and by joining an extra-curricular music club where they are able to loan musical instruments to extend their practice at home. Developing their subject specific vocabulary enables them to be able to communicate the judgements that they have started to make about the quality of music listened to and to self-evaluate their own music performance.
At Birkby Junior School, we believe that Music is for all and as a universal language all children, regardless of age or ability has access to the music curriculum. Music teaching includes targeted support or challenge for all individuals or groups of pupils.
What are the aims of teaching Music at Birkby Junior School?
- To build a Music curriculum to develop music learning resulting in the acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills, in line with the National Curriculum, which is then personalised to the needs of BJS pupils.
- To promote a love of music and singing across a broadened curriculum.
How is Music taught at Birkby Junior School?
We use the ‘Charanga’ (on-line digital resource) for music lessons which follows the statutory ‘National Curriculum’ and provides a clear and comprehensive scheme of work. As well as Charanga, year 4 & 5 are taught whole class ukulele and percussion by a peripatetic music teacher covering key musical skills through cross curricular links from the termly topics being taught. All musical learning is built around the Interrelated Dimensions of Music: pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and notation, to encourage the development of musical skills through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including composition) and performing.
Music Day
‘Music Day’ is held in the summer term, allowing children to express themselves through music and for each year group to learn about a specific music genre (YR3- Rock N ’Roll, YR4- Disco, YR5- Big Band Swing, YR6- Hip Hop). Music lessons are primarily practical with a music workshop for each class. A ‘Music Celebration Assembly’ – is the culmination of the day with a celebratory music assembly with solo and ensemble performances by children who are learning a musical instrument in school.
