Music
MUSIC AT WILSHERE- DACRE
Click on the musical notes to see what we offer for all pupils at Wilshere-Dacre...
Intent
At Wilshere-Dacre, we want to ensure that music is a joyful, engaging and inclusive experience that enables every child to develop their musical potential and develop an appreciation of the value of music that is personal to them. We want children to have a curiosity and respect for the role that music plays in society, in cultures and in our lives. We intend to inspire musicians of the future and create a passion for music in all our children that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Implementation
The above intent will be implemented through the following:
- An ambitious and engaging Music curriculum, delivered through weekly class lessons
- Whole-school weekly Singing Assemblies
- Listening to and appreciating a diverse range of music
- Music clubs, ensembles and instrumental tuition
- Two productions each year
Music Curriculum
We aim to deliver a high-quality, broad and balanced Music curriculum, accessible to all pupils in the school. The Music lessons will give opportunities for children to learn about a diverse variety of music, from different backgrounds, genres, cultures and periods. They will develop skills in these main areas:
listening and appraising music,
composing and improvising music
singing and performing music.
By providing a balance of the above areas, the children will learn about the background and some theory of a topic, whilst developing their performance skills and then be given opportunities to explore and develop their own musical ideas. Every year, the children will be taught basic keyboard skills, including learning the notes of the scale and playing simple tunes.
The lessons are inspired mainly by ideas and units from ‘Music Express’ and ‘Sing Up’ schemes alongside tailor-made lessons to link with some class topics, where appropriate. Music lessons are planned carefully and reviewed regularly to accommodate and adapt to the children and the rest of the curriculum and to ensure progression.
Singing Assemblies
Each week there is a whole-school communal Singing assembly for all children and staff. These sessions provide opportunities to appreciate the value and joy of collective singing as well as developing singing skills and singing in parts. It is important for us to learn a variety of songs from different cultures and times and sometimes the songs will be performed for various occasions throughout the year; such as Harvest, Christmas, Comic Relief, World Book Day or Sing Up Day.
Listening to and appreciating Music
At the beginning and end of every daily assembly, music is played while the children enter and exit the hall. We always endeavour to play a wide variety of different styles of music to showcase a diversity of backgrounds and cultures, making sure the children have the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the music we listen to.
Where possible, we also try to provide different live performances for the children to enjoy. These include performances from our own school band and instrumental players, as well as visits by groups such as the Letchworth Ukelele Group.
Music Clubs, Ensembles and Instrumental Tuition
We offer a wide variety of instrument lessons to any pupils who express an interest, expanding to include more instruments following pupil voice (drums and saxophone etc). Remission of fees can be arranged for low-income families and where possible we encourage disadvantaged children to take this opportunity and try an instrument. In Year 3, every child learns Djembe drumming with an outside specialist.
We also offer three free extra-curricular music clubs, open to all pupils, regardless of experience. These include Choir, Recorders and our WD Band. The Choir and Band perform regularly, in school and where possible in the community. The Choir perform in the Young Voices concert every year at Wembley Arena.
Two Productions a Year
We hold two big productions each year; Year 3 and 4 are involved in the Christmas show and Year 6 produce one at the end of the Summer term. All children take part in the singing and many of them also have acting or backstage roles as well. These are fantastic opportunities for children to experience performing together in front of an audience of family and friends and to celebrate the joy of creating a high-quality performance after weeks of practice.
Impact
We expect to see our children:
engaged and enjoying their music lessons
making progress with their learning, developing a range of skills to enable them to appreciate music throughout their lives
showing an appreciation and respect for a range of music from a variety of diverse genres
wanting to be involved in extra-curricular music by trying a club or learning an instrument
demonstrating and expressing enthusiasm and pride for their music-making
becoming confident performers, composers and listeners, who are able to express themselves musically at school and beyond
progressing throughout the music curriculum and meeting or exceeding national curriculum expectations outlined at the end of Key Stage 2