Music Policy

Music

At New Seaham Primary School music is considered an essential part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It is a foundation subject in the National Curriculum.

What is Music?

Music is concerned with the creative, aesthetic, emotional and spiritual response to rhythmic combinations of sound.  It is an art form in which all children may participate with enjoyment.  It can be integrated across the whole curriculum and add a valued part to any project or theme.  Whilst it is to be enjoyed, it also requires great powers of self-discipline, an ability to co-operate with others and the ability to concentrate over extended periods of time.  It brings a sense of achievement and self-confidence.

Aims and Objectives

We hope to enrich the children's learning and provide opportunities for participation in musical activities at their own level of understanding and ability through the development of the following:

• Build self-esteem, self-confidence and self-discipline
• Develop social skills, co-operation and sharing
• Develop a sensitive response to sound and readiness to experiment with sound
• Develop concentration, memory and listening skills
• Develop a musical vocabulary
• Develop physical co-ordination through breathing and posture
• Develop self-awareness, sensitivity, imagination and empathy
• Encourage children to recognise and express their feelings
• Develop an understanding of musical traditions and appreciation of own and other's culture and heritage
• Use ICT to capture and enhance creativity in composing and performing

In the main, music develops a child in a social, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual way.

Entitlement

At both Key Stages and Foundation Stage , music teaching should ensure that listening, applying knowledge and understanding are developed through the interrelated skills of performing, composing and appraising.

• Controlling sounds through singing and playing - performing skills
• Creating and developing musical ideas - composing skills
• Responding and reviewing - appraising skills
• Listening, and applying knowledge and understanding
• Pupils should be given opportunities to apply the use of ICT to enhance the creativity in composing and in capturing a performance

In particular, by making and responding to a wide range of music, children are able to understand:

• How sounds are made, changed and organised, using the elements and structures
• Music is produced, through the use of instrumentation using symbols and notation
• How music is influenced by time and place and is affected by venue, occasion and purpose