Our Music Development Plan

Curriculum music

Our school aims to provide an ambitious, rigorous and relevant music curriculum and inspires creativity and excellence in music. Pupils will foster a love of music by providing opportunities for pupils to engage with a wide range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.  

We follow the Charanga scheme, but where possible our music curriculum engages and connects to other learning and through Focus Day provision. We provide opportunities for in depth, specialist teaching provision to equip pupils with the musical skills to become successful musicians. The curriculum has been informed by the model music curriculum.  

In EYFS, music is an integral part of the curriculum covered during the year and as part of the specific area, Expressive Arts: Being Imaginative.  We relate the skill aspects of musicianship to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Music is also used effectively to contributes to a pupil’s personal and social development.  Singing and basic rhythm skills are incorporated to support mathematical ability and to enrich knowledge and understanding of the world through cultural diversity. 

We encourage pupils to learn to play a musical instrument by providing opportunities within and beyond the music curriculum to support pupils’ creativity and musical thinking. Opportunities are provided for pupils to create and compose music, to sing and learn to use their voices, to explore how music is created, produced and communicated and to harness technology in the creation of music.  Pupils are supported by organisations such as the CBSO and Dudley performing Arts. 

Pupils are excited by their learning in music and develop a sense of self-confidence through composition and performance.  They will develop an appreciation for a wide range of music and are able to offer their opinions about different musical styles.  

Pupils demonstrate a high level of creativity, musical skill, knowledge and understanding through the creation of high-quality outcomes, including performance. As part of the music provision, pupils in year 5 receive whole class flute tuition provided by DPA. Pupils will learn the Glockenspiel throughout their time at Newfield Park, the tin whistle in Year 3 and recorder in Year 4.  

Pupils make connections in their learning, both within music and with learning from other subject areas, such as history. They use these connections to support their understanding of music genre, composition and performance as well as to support their understanding of society, culture and change over time.  

Pupils have a sound understanding of musical concepts, dimensions, composition and broad range of musical skill. They use their musical understanding to create, compose, evaluate and communicate and perform music.  Our curriculum aims to remove barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. With support, and curriculum adaptations, SEND pupils are able to express themselves and take an active part in musical sessions. Scaffolding techniques and a variety of AfL strategies are adopted so that all pupils, including those with SEND can progress and flourish. 

Their musical knowledge is developed through our use of key pieces of music which support all of our E3L themes and are in both whole class and whole school situations.  

Co-curricular music

As part of the co-curricular music and linked to our core curriculum offer, our school has focus days which run from Year 1 to Year 6 which links to the theme being taught.  The day where the curriculum is collapsed, and music is taught by a music specialist.  This supports the coverage of the MMC and deepens pupils understanding of the music curriculum.   Our focus day provision is supported and delivered by a primary music specialist to deepen and enhance the pupils’ knowledge and skills of music. 

Throughout the school there are other musical opportunities that are given to the pupils. 

Pupils in receipt of the pupil premium receive additional musical instrument lessons including keyboard, drums and guitar. 

Pupils take part in choral activities that lead to performance at the Dudley Town Hall and Young Voices. 

For those pupils who are considered gifted and talented, our school seeks help and support to further develop them from CBSO and DPA.  This support has included pupils taking music examinations in school time and participate in events, for example through The Salvation Army performances.

Musical experiences

Pupils are given many opportunities to have musical experiences including singing assemblies that take place on a weekly basis.  In these sessions, both staff and students are encouraged to develop a love of singing and understand the mental wellbeing benefits to singing in a large group.   

Pupils participate in end of Key Stage performances.  These include nativities at the end of EYFS and Key Stage 1 and musical performances at the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils participate in choral activities around Christmas including carol concerts and musical showcases.   In these performances, pupils get a chance to experience performing to a larger audience, including the wider community and performing both individually and in groups. 

In school, free concerts are shown.  These are provided to our school by partnership providers including the CBSO and DPA music.  Pupils also have the opportunity to perform in their own class and individual repertoire projects through Newfest and Newfield’s Got Talent.

In the future

he following are where music will be further development in the subsequent years to follow: 

• Increase the whole class instrumental session to include the Ukelele for Year 6 pupils. 

• Increase the challenge in regular singing assembly slots to include cannons/rounds etc for older pupils especially.  

• Develop a whole school love of listening to music by incorporating not only key pieces of music and staff favourites but a wider variety of cultural and historic music. 

• Build stronger partnership with local musical groups so that the curriculum can be further enhanced by giving more live performance experiences both in and out of school 

• Give pupils time to listen, experience and respond to a wider variety of musical genre 

• Use music as a way of providing mental wellbeing support to both pupils and staff 

• Give further opportunities to those pupils who are deemed to be gifted and talented 

• Continue to provide staff CPD so that music teaching is stronger and therefore pupils can develop and progress and a faster pace.  

Further information

Newfield Park Primary Academy is part of the Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, which recognises the intrinsic value of music education and the enormous creative, personal, and academic benefits that engagement with music can develop. In particular, we acknowledge that all pupils regardless of background are entitled to a rigorous and rich Music education that inspires the next generation of musicians and music-lovers and exposes all to a wealth of cultural capital. We are committed to developing our provision across all primary and secondary phases in line with the latest curriculum guidance and with the support of specialist practitioners both within and without the trust.

DPA Lessons

If you would like more information about DPA lessons, please speak to Mr Tilley, the office staff, or visit this link to book directly with DPA.

The following instruments are available to learn:

• Flute
• Recorder
• Drums
• Violin
• Guitar
• Keyboard

Events

Over the course of the school year, we host three ‘big events’ at Newfield Park. In Autumn term, we have our Christmas Fayre where the choir perform to audiences of hundreds of people. In the Spring term, we host Newfield’s Got Talent, where children get an opportunity to audition for a ‘final show’ with the entire school in attendance. At the end of the Summer term, the school field plays host to NEWfest – our big summer festival! Here, each child will perform on stage to the whole school to showcase a song learnt in their music lessons during the year. Individual performers may also be invited to share their musical talents during the afternoon, then again after school to parents. Choir also perform after school while the rest of the festivities continue!

Choir

School offers KS2 choir as a weekly club after school on Thursdays. It is fully-funded by school and is offered for free to parents. Children spend an hour with Mrs Rushbury, a qualified and accomplished singing leader from DPA, fine-tuning their singing to create a beautiful sound. The club is always very popular and boasts over 50 members who return each week to enjoy singing. If you would like your child to attend, please email choir@newfield.dudley.sch.uk.