Music is universal, cultural, and individual. Strive4 Academy Trust believes that every pupil should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality musical training in school, regardless of attainment, or background. The aim of music education is to help pupils to achieve a personal level of understanding, appreciation, and passion for music and to encourage children to be creative, caring, and enthusiastic members of our school community. In line with the National Curriculum, we provide a range of opportunities for children to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians. Music and the voice are an integral part of the human experience. The national curriculum also details that pupils should learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence.

The Music Curriculum at Strive4 is drawn from the ‘Kapow’ scheme of learning which has been adapted and enhanced according to the needs of our pupils. The scheme has been supplemented with adapted units from the BBC Ten Pieces resources.  This creates an exciting and dynamic curriculum with a breadth of coverage and ambition.  Extra curricula Clubs and peripatetic lessons help to broaden the horizons of pupils. 

          

Every child will have:

• An understanding of performance skills and practise using the voice and a variety of instruments
• An appreciation of the cultural, historical and popular implications of music
• Opportunities to attend high quality music performances including Musical Theatre in Year 6
• Opportunities to learn an instrument in further depth through Music Hub peripatetic lessons
• Greater self-confidence through performances throughout the school year.

 

Our music specialist follows the planning created for the Kapow Scheme of Learning and adapts it to the needs of each class including adopting units from the BBC Ten Pieces resources. Where Class Teachers teach additional music, the music scheme of work provides resources to support teaching of music skills including CPD videos and specific content sessions are offered by the Specialist.

 

An ongoing assessment system is embedded within the scheme of work's programme of study. Each unit includes a number of 'assess-able' outcomes, presented in the format “working at” and “greater depth”. An accompanying progression of skills document supports the assessment process. 

Teachers use formative assessment throughout their teaching of units and throughout performances in lessons and sharing of compositions; this informs them and then allows them to make intelligent adaptations to their short term planning.

All schools within the Trust partner with Vision Music Hub who provide a whole class instrument (Ukelele) to year 4.  The Hub also provides excellent concerts biannually introducing pupils to the different instrument families and providing additional support to the classroom experience. Along with peripatetic specialist music lessons, a variety of music clubs run, including choirs for different age groups.