Music
Meet The Leaders
"Without music, life would be a mistake."
Friedrich Nietzsche
The value of Music Within our Curriculum
Prestolee believes that developing a love for learning in Music is crucial and we do this, by inspiring curiosity and providing children with the essential skills and knowledge to build upon and prepare them for the next stage. We aim to provide a high quality music education knowing that teaching music is highly important for the following reasons:
Music boosts school improvement - when the magic of music is allowed to permeate the whole curriculum it can have a positive impact on everything from academic attainment to student attendance.
Music improves learning skills - Hallam (2015, p. 72) notes that ‘overall, the evidence from correlation studies suggests that children who experience musical training have advantages across all school subjects except sport.
Music fosters team working – Music promotes the importance of working harmoniously with others towards a common goal.
Music builds life skills - Playing an instrument or learning to sing requires real concentration, quietness and calm whether on stage or in the classroom. Working alongside other members of a musical group helps children to recognise their own skills and appreciate those of others. This builds life skills such as empathy, problem solving and communication, and a sense of responsibility and commitment.
Music underpins better behaviour - To learn music you need discipline. To play well requires regular practice and dedication.
Music encourages creativity - Music enables young people to express themselves like no other medium. It empowers them to shape their world through sound and allows them to exercise their imaginations. Encouraging creativity also teaches them to think outside the box when problem solving. To succeed in the future, children will need to be inventive, resourceful and imaginative, and arts education will help.
Music is for life - An early start in music often results in music becoming a life-long passion. The skills acquired from learning music can feed into your everyday, whilst playing, listening and enjoying music never needs to end!
Music is an educational building block - The Department for Education has stated that a high-quality music education can improve self-confidence, behaviour and social skills as well as improve academic achievement across the curriculum with disadvantaged children benefiting the most.
Music is fun - Music making is not only good for the brain but also the heart! Young people enjoy the pleasure of mastering a tune or a song.
Music is for everyone - Music is inclusive irrespective of abilities. Music gives children a unique motivation to participate and communicate and advances in technology mean more children than ever can take part in and reap the many benefits of a music education.
Intent
Prestolee aims to provide all pupils with a high quality music education, which engages and inspires children to develop a life-long love of music children to increase their self-confidence, creativity, imagination and provides opportunities for self-expression enabling children to achieve sense of personal achievement. We offer opportunities for children to develop and explore their talents in all aspects of music including music appreciation, composition, singing, and performing whilst experiencing a variety genres and composers. Through a wide variety of tuned/untuned percussion and pitched instruments the children all children have equal access to learn the correct usage of instruments. We appreciate the voice as an instrument in its own right and to perform for a variety of audiences.
Implementation
In music lessons the children are involved in making and responding to music. We aim to develop each of the formal elements of music through performing, composing and appraising in all activities and extend these skills by applying listening skills, knowledge and understanding of music.
Our music curriculum has been designed by exploring the expectations of the National Curriculum and applying this guidance to the context. We have liaised closely with our local GM Music Hub (Bolton Music Service) to ensure we maintain a high quality Music of curriculum implementing their guidance and advice.
In order to fulfil the objectives we use a variety of resources, such as the Kapow scheme of Music in EYFS and KS1. Within KS2 Music is delivered by Alfa Education (music specialist). The schemes are also supplemented where appropriate with cross-curricular and extra-curricular activities through the use of a variety of musical resources.
At the same time, it is important to develop the idea that music is fun and is for life. The children are given opportunities to experience a wide range of live music, both within school and at other venues. They are also encouraged to perform their own music for an audience, developing their self-confidence and sensitivity towards others.
Impact
Our well-planned music curriculum ensures that children understand and know how music is created, produced and communicated, through the formal elements of music and appropriate musical notations.
An understanding that the enjoyment and pleasure when listening to and experiencing music supports and benefits mental health and wellbeing on a personal level.
A positive attitude towards understanding and tolerance of the diversity of the United Kingdom and respect of other cultures and personal preferences.
Through the breadth and depth that our curriculum offers, children are confident musicians, performing to a range of audiences and discussing their musical journey.
Our curriculum enables children to progress to the next level of musicianship.
