At Kirkby Thore we believe that music enriches children’s lives in and out of school. Appreciation of instrumental sounds, singing, melody and rhythm give opportunities for children to learn, express themselves work collaboratively and be happy! Music is part of our cultural identity and we want every child to be aware of this. Music also has fantastic learning opportunities and can assist learning across the curriculum, such as in English, PE and Maths and we will ensure that pupils have learning opportunities, using music, in all these areas.
Music unites us. At Kirkby Thore School we sing and play together for pleasure as well as performance. We also join in others or listen to their high-quality music for example with Appleby Hand Bells or by taking part in St Andrew’s carol concert. We discuss our musical likes and dislikes sensitively, sharing pieces of music that we connect to personally, or that we enjoy with our families at home. We also sequence our teaching and learning of the subject throughout school so that we deliver the National Curriculum effectively and uniquely.
By the end of Key Stage 1 we will ensure that children have played a variety of tuned and un-tuned instruments. They will play these with increasing control, following three and four beats in a bar rhythms. From when they first enter school, children will listen to a variety of high-quality live and recorded music. This will happen on a weekly basis in music lessons but also as part of daily school life e.g. when entering/exiting collective worship, or as a background at special events. We want children to love music, to develop a sense of their favourite artists and genres, so that music fully enriches their lives. Our pupils will also become singers. At this early age we are happy for them to lose themselves in performance and enjoy their singing. We will help them control their voice once they have found it and enjoy using it!
From Year 2, and throughout KS2, children will learn to play an instrument. We have primarily chosen recorder because we believe this will give them flexibility of choice if they would like to extend their learning and play additional woodwind instruments however they will also experience other tuned instruments such as bells, boom whackers and chime bars. Pupils will recognise and respond to crotchet, quaver, minim and semibreve notation. Children will use these when composing and performing in small groups. We aim for pupils to leave our school reading musical and rhythmic notation. Our pupils will regularly perform together at school and community events. They will reflect on their performance and growing skills regularly to be able to improve upon them. During KS2 we will help children control and vary their vocal performances, maintaining that initial exuberance and enjoyment, but also developing quality singing. Children will be introduced to an ever-widening mix of genres and artists, they will formally react to this music, sharing emotional and musical responses. They will leave school with a broad spectrum of musical experience that they can draw from, to help them identify music to reach to when they need it in their life.
