Southwood Music 

Intent 

Here at Southwood Primary School, we really value music. 

We provide a high-quality music education which engages and inspires children to develop a love of music and ignite curiosity for the subject, whilst developing each child as a musician.  

Music is a unique subject that all ages and abilities can access, a universal language that can aid communication and evoke emotion. It is a subject not dependent on other academic achievements, a chance to express themselves and be creative. 

At Southwood we follow the model music curriculum set out by the government, ensuring that, across all key stages, our children get a quality music education experience. 

Implementation 

At Southwood Primary School, all the music provision is taught by a music specialist. 

Through using the Charanga Music Scheme, pupils perform, listen to, review, and evaluate music across historical periods, genres, and traditions. They learn to sing using their voices with musicality, compose music, and use improvisation skills. Through performance, children increase self-confidence and creativity. 

EYFS and KS1 focus on listening and identifying sound and the introduction to musical language. Singing and rhythm-based games are also key areas of focus. 

From KS2 children widen their knowledge with whole class instrument lessons, learning how to read, write, and compose rhythmic classical notation.  

All KS2 learn to play the glockenspiel, on which they learn a variety of songs. 

Enrichment opportunities are also routinely given to our children throughout their school life at Southwood. 

Examples: 

-Yr4 and a Yr5/6 choir which are open to all. The choir takes part in many performances throughout the year 

-Weekly visits by Primary Robins, an opera charity that teaches the children vocal warmups and traditional songs with music books and piano accompaniment 

-Studying a musical and completing their studies with a theatre trip 

-Workshops with working musicians, Q&A sessions 

-Live performances  

-Cross curriculum music workshops 

Impact 

At Southwood we aim to ensure our Music Curriculum allows our pupils to: 

-Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions 

- Enjoy their musical experience through active listening and participation 

- Experience the expressiveness of music that elicit an emotional response 

- Become aware of musical traditions, exploring cultural similarities and differences 

- Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated using inter-related elements 

- Sing and use their voices safely 

- Create and compose music  

- Perform to others  

- Learn about opportunities to join other musical groups outside of the school environment 

- Become aware that music can support the development of social skills, mental well-being and wider school ‘Core Values’ such as sharing, communication, participation, co-operation, self-esteem, self-image, decision making, creativity, respect for own and other cultures. 

- Southwood have earned the ‘Music Mark’ award