Music Intent

At St James Primary School, we want our children to love music. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and for some to eventually enter music careers. Our vision is to give children access to an engaging and fun music curriculum reflecting the world they live in now, but at the same time giving them access to musical styles throughout history. Children are able to listen to and appraise a variety of musical styles alongside performing pieces and creating their own compositions through the use of instruments and technology. To achieve this, all children access a variety of musical games, songs, instruments, music workshops, and extra-curricular activities giving them practical, hands on experience. We hope children continue to grow in confidence as they progress through the musical curriculum and become passionate in their responses to music. Added to this, we want children to become more independent learners within this area, reflect upon their learning and develop resilience within the musical world. As a school, these are our aims:

• To encourage awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of music in all its forms.
• To develop imagination and creativity.
• To help children of all abilities develop positive attitudes and to experience success and satisfaction in music.
• To offer opportunities to sing, play instruments, compose, listen and appraise.

Please see below some videos and photographs of our musical performances.

Choir songs to rehearse for the concert at Walsall Arts Arena- 28th November 2024

Choir songs to practice for 6th March 

In music lessons we develop:

Singing skills - a singing culture is established and nurtured within the school. Children and adults in the school will be encouraged to sing whenever appropriate to aid well-being and health as well as musical outcomes.

Instrumental skills - children will be taught to sing a wide-ranging variety of songs and to use their voices expressively. They have the opportunity to play both tuned and un-tuned instruments with increasing control and should rehearse and perform with others, with an awareness of audience.

Composing skills - children will create musical patterns and will be shown how to explore, select and organise musical ideas, recording these in a variety of ways, (e.g. pictorial score, by means of a digital recorder, tape recorder or video or using notation).

Appraising skills - children will be given the opportunity to explore and explain their own ideas and feelings about music, using music, dance, expressive language and musical vocabulary. They will analyse and compare sounds and will become confident at suggesting improvements for their own work and that of others.

Listening and applying knowledge and understanding - children should be able to listen with concentration and to internalise and recall sounds with increasing aural memory. They will develop a growing awareness of the interrelated dimensions of music. They will learn that time and place can influence the way music is created, performed and heard, that music is produced in different ways and is described through invented and standard notations which will be applied appropriately throughout their musical journey in school.

Music Implementation

Children at St James Primary School participate in a weekly music lesson from the music scheme ‘Sing Up’  and is taught by a specialist music teacher from Year 1 to 6. Every year group will build upon the learning from prior year groups therefore developing depth of understanding and progression of skills. Lessons provide opportunities for children to develop practical skills and progress by listening and appraising, singing, playing, composing, and performing.

We promote an enjoyment and foster interest of music through regular singing practice, musical workshops, and other extra- curricular opportunities such as the school choir and musical instrument tuition. Pupils are given the opportunity to listen to a range of music through various in and out of school opportunities. Performances take place within various school activities and are integral to the school ethos. We have regular music celebration assemblies and put on special Christmas and Summer productions. Children in choir regularly perform in school and also perform at concerts such as Young Voices and Forest Arts. We also have links with the secondary school to collaborate on group community music projects. Instrumental groups will be encouraged to perform in assembly whenever performances are ready to be heard.

Music skills progression is monitored, as is the delivery of music by the music lead teacher in school. 

We have a range of music equipment and resources that can easily be moved around the school. There is a full class set of glockenspiels, a number of other tuned instruments including keyboards.

EYFS

Through Expressive Arts, children are taught to sing songs, make music and dance. Children are given opportunities to experiment with ways of changing sound and develop an understanding of pulse rhythm and pitch. Children are also encouraged to use everyday objects to make music and create sound, children enjoy exploring our music wall outdoors and experiment with sound using objects made from different materials such as wood, metal and plastic.

Music Impact

The impact of our music curriculum will lead to good progress over time across key stages relative to a child’s individual starting point and the progression of their skills. Those children with a particular interest or aptitude in music will be given the opportunity to extend their education in a variety of ways, for example, music tuition groups, singing club, instrumental performances in assembly and opportunities to sing in concerts. Children will therefore be expected to leave St James reaching at least age-related expected expectations in music. Our music curriculum will foster a love and increasing enthusiasm for the subject and the potential for life-long musical study.

General

• Singing
• Listening activities
• Reading musical notes
• Composition
• Performances using percussion instruments
• Tuned instrument teaching, for example, keyboards, Ukeleli, recorders.

Schemes of Work

• Sing Up

Experiences

EYFS…

• Outdoor theatre/stage
• Indoor/outdoor zones promoting music and performance
• Singing/listening
• Musical instruments (percussion)
• Rhyme time

KS1 and KS2…

• A well-looked after performance space

• A passion for musical performance

Whole school…

• Summer Show – musical/drama production
• Concerts/productions – Harvest, Christmas, Easter
• Choir
• Visiting theatre companies to perform in school
• Theatre trips – pantomime, musicals etc
• Music concert with the Federation schools
• Federation music quiz
• performing arts club performances each term

Curriculum- Sing Up

If you want further information about the curriculum content your child is covering please call the school office to arrange an appointment to see the subject leader. 

MUSIC SPINE

Throughout both key stages the children will have access to a wide range of music to listen to, learn about and enjoy. Music will be played in the classroom and when entering and leaving the hall for assemblies. 

Extra Curricular Opportunities

Children at St James are given the opportunity to learn a woodwind instrument, tuned percussion instruments, recorders, ukulele and the guitar. They also receive whole class sessions with a music specialist in djembe and samba. 

Children in Key Stage Two are able to join the school choir and have the chance to perform in the Forest Art's winter concert and also in the Young Voices  concert. 

Our School Choir

In the Autumn term, our Choir sang at Walsall Arts Arena alongside other primary schools. The theme this year was 'Christmas around the World' and the children learnt songs in Spanish and Polish. They practised extremely hard and were, as always, a credit to St James. 

They also performed at the Key Stage 2 carol concert in St James' church. We are so proud of you all. 

In the summer term the choir were invited to take part in a massed choir performance to celebrate 75 years of the 'Windrush' generation. They rehearsed for several weeks and performed at Walsall Art Gallery. 

Choir will begin again in September 2023 for our next concert at Forest Art's Centre in November. 

Nearly ready for our next concert. 

Year 3 music lessons

Year 4 Music

Year 5 music lessons

Year 6 music lessons