Music
Music Coordinator: Miss Heslin
“Music can change the world.” - Ludwig van Beethoven
The Strands of the Music National Curriculum
Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Our Vision for Music at Eaves
At Eaves, our vision is for every child to experience the joy, creativity and sense of belonging that music can bring. We want children to become confident musicians and thoughtful listeners who can perform, compose, listen, appraise and talk knowledgeably about music, while developing an appreciation of music from different cultures, traditions, historical periods and genres. Music contributes not only to children's creative development, but also to their confidence, self-expression, wellbeing and understanding of the wider world.
Our Music Curriculum Offer
Our taught Music curriculum provides a progressive and consistent musical journey as children move through school. We use the new Charanga scheme, ensuring that knowledge, musical vocabulary and practical skills are deliberately revisited and developed over time. Children learn through listening, singing, playing, improvising, composing and performing, while progressively developing their understanding of the inter-related dimensions of music, including pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and structure.
Practical music-making is central to our approach. Children experience instruments, develop their voices, explore notation and learn how music is created and communicated. As their musical knowledge grows, they are encouraged to listen more critically, make connections between pieces and genres, compose their own music and perform with increasing accuracy, expression and confidence. Our curriculum reflects the wider Eaves approach of carefully sequenced learning that enables children to know more, remember more and do more.
Our Music Enrichment Offer
Music at Eaves extends far beyond the taught curriculum. Children have opportunities to take up additional music tuition and develop their talents and interests, while our weekly whole-school Singing Assembly brings children together through music and song. Singing collectively develops listening, confidence and a sense of synergy and belonging, while songs also provide opportunities to explore themes such as friendship, perseverance, hope, respect and celebration.
Alongside this, our Music Appreciation curriculum forms an important part of Personal Development at Eaves. Through planned listening opportunities, children encounter music from different cultures, traditions, faiths and historical periods. They explore unfamiliar artists, instruments and musical styles, developing curiosity, respect and an increasingly rich cultural knowledge. Music provides opportunities to explore emotion, identity and shared human experiences, supporting children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as well as their emotional wellbeing.
Oracy Through Music
Oracy is an important part of Music at Eaves. Children learn to talk like musicians, using increasingly precise musical vocabulary to describe what they hear, compare pieces, explain how music makes them feel and justify their musical choices. Talk supports children as they collaborate on compositions, evaluate performances and give constructive feedback. Singing and performance also develop the physical aspects of oracy through voice, expression, pace, projection and confidence, while discussion teaches children to listen carefully and respect different interpretations and musical preferences.
Music Beyond the Classroom – Experiences, Performance & Cultural Capital
We want children's experience of music to extend beyond the classroom and beyond what they may encounter in everyday life. Performances, musicians and visitors, musical events, trips and opportunities to experience live music can bring learning to life and help children understand music as a living part of their community and culture.
These experiences are an important part of developing cultural capital and equity. Our aim is to broaden children's musical horizons by giving all pupils opportunities to encounter instruments, performers, venues, musical traditions and experiences that may be new to them. This reflects our wider curriculum commitment to value the experiences children already bring while adding the knowledge and opportunities that can open future “windows and doors.”
Ultimately, we want every Eaves child to leave us having experienced the pleasure of making music with others, with the knowledge and confidence to listen critically, perform, create and express themselves. Whether children go on to play an instrument, perform, compose or simply develop a lifelong enjoyment of listening to music, we want them to recognise music as something that belongs to them and connects them to others and the wider world.
Listen. Sing. Play. Create. Perform. Appreciate. Connect. – Music The Eaves Way.
Music - Gallery
