Our Ofsted report in June 2023 stated:

"Leaders place great emphasis on pupils’ wider development. Pupils enjoy a variety of extra-curricular clubs and activities, including... choir. Every child has the opportunity to play an instrument and learn to read music."

Vision

At Hucknall National Primary School our school mission statement is ‘Growing together in learning, love and faith’. Our Music curriculum is linked to all four areas of our curriculum vision quadrant:

Academic Study - To develop intellectual knowledge, skills understanding and curiosity.

Wellbeing Provision - To develop physical, social and emotional health.

The Enrichment and Entitlement - To provide equal access to a range of opportunities and experiences. To develop an understanding of themselves and the wider world.

Christian Distinctiveness – To develop spirituality and faith.

Our Christian values, help to underpin Music at Hucknall National C of E Primary School.

The Journey

Hucknall National Primary School has historically been a school where Music and performance of the Arts have been held in high esteem.  The school is fortunate in that it has two separate halls, the larger of the two which includes a performance stage.  This provides a huge opportunity for our pupils to experience the reality of performing to others and enables them to become used to this as a normal part of the primary school experience. 

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” Johann Sebastian Bach

“Music is one of the most powerful things the world has to offer. No matter what race or religion or nationality or sexual orientation or gender that you are, it has the power to unite us.”

With this understanding of the power Music has to move us, bring us closer to God and the realisation of the equality we find in Music, the school is committed to ensuring high quality provision.

From Summer 2021 the Music Leader (a specialist in Music) planned and taught Music lessons across the school from Year 1 to Year 6, using the objectives from ‘The Model Music Curriculum’ which was published during the Spring of 2021.  This meant music became an integral part of the curriculum and was a weekly lesson for the children.  As the children had received very little Music Education in the years that proceeded this, the use of a specialist and following the new curriculum has enabled the quality of Music teaching across the school to improve significantly and it has enabled children to make rapid progress in lessons.  During 2021-22 planning was refined to incorporate more of the objectives of the Model Music Curriculum, to match with the increasing knowledge and understanding from the children.  This is an on-going process and during 2022-23, expectations for pupil outcomes will continue to rise as the children have had some of the gaps in their learning closed, thereby enabling each child to reach their full potential.  Aspirations in performance have risen and the children will be able to make full use of the facilities we have.  New instruments have been purchased, so every child learns to play a ukulele and recorder for an extended period during their time at our school.  These instruments are revisited through the curriculum once the children have learned to play them.  Extra-curricular activities are also offered so children are able to develop their skills further.

The Music Leader works alongside teaching staff, so they are able to receive appropriate CPD and therefore increase their knowledge of Music teaching.  During lessons, teachers take part and use the assessment materials provided to assess the skills of their children, which will inform future teaching and learning.

Intent - Concept Curriculum

The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music

• Be taught to sing, create and compose music

• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.

At Hucknall National Primary School our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.   We hope to foster a life-long love of music by exposing them to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music. By listening and responding to different musical styles, finding their voices as singers and performers and as composers, all will enable them to become confident, reflective musicians.

‘Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity’ (The National Curriculum)

The aims of our Music curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Can sing and use their voices individually and in a group
• Create and compose music on their own and with others
• Use technology appropriately when composing
• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument
• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated
• Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a

range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions

• Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock etc.
• Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their work
• Make judgements about the quality of music
• Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments
• Have different opportunities to take part in performances

Implementation

The music curriculum ensures:

• Children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate as part of their classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments, and the joining of one of our musical ensembles.
• Children learn the elements of music so they are able to use the language of music to describe how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed.
• Children learn how to play two instruments for an extended period of time.  In doing so they understand how to create notes, as well as how to read basic music notation.
• Children learn how to compose focussing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music

Assessment and Recording

The Music Leader has created an Assessment and Recording system using the hierarchical skills identified in The National Curriculum for Music (2019).  This will be used by teaching staff to identify the level at which children are able to achieve assessment targets.  Teachers will be supported to complete this and will be given specific assessment points to assess at specific points in learning.

The Foundation Stage

Music for EYFS students has a primary focus on singing and movement, developing

the student’s listening abilities, physical co-ordination, inner/outer ears, motor-neuron

skills, memory, aural awareness, and singing skills. We relate the musical development of the children to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals.  Each student will lead the class in singing, and all will learn to be led by their peers. Songs are linked to class topics when appropriate.  The Music Leader teaches EYFS bespoke lessons during the Spring and Summer Terms.  There is an annual Christmas show that the students rehearse for and perform in.  This involves singing, actions and speaking. It is an integral part of the EYFS curriculum.

Cultural Capital

The school participates in a variety of different musical events throughout the year. There are also opportunities that might happen just once.  Performances are celebrated during assemblies and photographs and videos are taken to record events.

The Music Leader identifies professional performances pupils can attend so they are able to hear music at the highest level.  The Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Albert Hall, Torkard Ensemble and Theatre Royal are all venues pupils visit when opportunities arise.

Students that wish can apply to learn violin, keyboard, brass, guitar, drums or woodwind instruments.  These lessons are weekly, and are either to an individual or in small groups.  By the end of Summer 2022 more than 60 children were receiving this type of Music tuition from the Inspire service from Nottinghamshire County Council.

There is a choir and ‘Ukuele and Guitar’ Club.  Children are able to participate in ‘The Young Voices’ concert as well as plenty of performances locally like at Tesco, the Care Home or the Church.

The school is part of the Ashfield Singing Hub, works alongside other Hucknall schools to develop music across the town and has been given the ‘Music Mark’ status through Nottinghamshire Inspire Music.

Organisation

In Key Stage 1 and 2 Music lessons are weekly and usually half an hour in length.  EYFS will have weekly half an hour lessons during the Spring and Summer terms.  If children are rehearsing for performance their lessons maybe longer.   There is also weekly singing and music appreciation assembly.

Health and Safety

The Music Leader ensures musical instruments are safe for children to play.  During performances the school adheres to the Health and Safety Audit objectives, detailed by the SNMAT.

The Learning Environment

At Hucknall National, we have plenty of areas around school that can be used for Music lessons and extra-curricular activities.  The majority of musical instruments are housed in the Small Hall as this is not adjacent to any other learning areas and so provides a good place to ensure sound proofing when playing instruments.  The Large Hall and Practical Room both also have pianos, which make them good areas for children to sing, play and rehearse. 

Teacher subject knowledge/CPD

All teachers will take part in professional development by observing the Music Leader to ensure secure subject knowledge and awareness of health and safety procedures. Staff are increasingly knowledgeable in the area of activity being taught.  Staff should indicate where they feel they need support so appropriate support can be given by the subject leader.

Equal Opportunities

The music curriculum adheres to the Equal Opportunities Policy. The music curriculum takes into account issues of difference, including gender, race and ethnicity. Music from across cultures is taught, listened to and dissected. The curriculum provides space to play different styles and genres of music.

Inclusion

The Music Leader supports and facilitates access to the music curriculum through effective differentiation, adult support, and alteration of any equipment as necessary.  We recognise that there is a wide range of capability across the student body. Tasks and activities are designed to allow students to engage at their own level.  A large proportion of Music lessons involve group work, where children support each other to achieve the desired outcomes.

Role of the Subject Leader:

• The writing and delivery of music classes
• Preparation and delivery of music assemblies – these enable a showcase of performances by pupils – individually and for classes
• Ensuring resources and support for the three school performances per year.
• Coordinating involvement in external musical performances
• Liaising with peripatetic staff about any concerns or issues,
• Ordering and maintaining musical equipment.
• Creating appropriate music displays.
• Liaising and maintaining a good working relationship with other schools in Hucknall, the Notts Music Hub and working with other schools in the Trust.
• Carrying out research about the most innovative resources and teaching strategies available so learning remains current.
• Ensuring a living and healthy musical environment exists at the school.

Teachers should:

• Communicate high expectations, enthusiasm and passion about Music to pupils and challenge their thinking and act as a good role model.
• Have increasing levels of confidence with guidance from the Music Lead.  They should take an active part during lessons and support pupils with differing needs during lessons. 
• They should assess the levels of learning the children demonstrate during lessons and support them in the learning process so each child can develop their skills further.  The Music Lead will guide them in their assessments.

Impact

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows students to discover areas of strength, as well as areas how they might like to improve. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a student may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer.