Music

Intent
Why do we teach this? Why do we teach it in the way we do?

At Carr Lodge Academy we believe music has the power to change lives. We therefore wholeheartedly support and endeavor to ‘enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally’.

 In order to do this we ensure that curriculum music is timetabled in every year group, including the foundation stage, and that teachers are supported with developing their own disciplinary knowledge to ensure they are developing their own knowledge base in line with the Model Music Curriculum. As part of developing their substantive knowledge, children are exposed to a wide range of professional performances, as well as having enrichment opportunities to perform themselves, both within school and out in our community. We encourage children to experience a broad music culture within their substantive knowledge, which is mapped to ensure children are revisiting and developing key concepts to ‘learn more and remember more’.

We work with Doncaster Music Hub to source CPD, performance opportunities and leader knowledge.

Instrumental lessons are provided within school to pupils through an external provider, which allow pupils to continue developing skills after instruments are taught in class lessons. We are continuously mindful of the ‘Music Inclusion Strategy’ and how we are able to support those groups, often underrepresented, in this field in the future. We therefore endeavour to share information around musicians in whom our children may see themselves. Similarly, we are enthusiastic about supporting young people to aspire to and succeed in a career in music and to this end we engage in activities similar to our sporting events within the trust to highlight emerging talents.  

Implementation
What do we teach? What does this look like?

Music has the ability to develop inclusivity and resilience. Key components in our pupils’ personal development, which is at the forefront of our minds and mission at Carr Lodge. The Singing strand of the MMC is therefore highly valued and as well as curriculum time allocated and led by a musician, we also have a large choir led by a choral specialist.

Composing is an area we are developing with an interest in exploring children’s access to music technology to inspire those who may not traditionally have found an interest in this area. Children learn to play the recorder in Y3 and the glockenspiel in Y4, these lessons are taught by class teachers using a highly structures scheme.

We own a large bank of percussion instruments as well as a drum kit, electronic keyboard and Ukuleles in school as well as borrowing instruments from the Music Hub. Children have the opportunity to develop their Musicianship and Performing strands through school performances and in the future, entry to local competitions. We actively support pupils accessing private music tuition to share this information in school so that this skill can be developed and performance opportunities provided. 

We want to ensure that ‘all children and young people receive a high-quality music education in the early years and in schools’ and our music development plan is available on request, detailing our actions to move towards this end.