Music Curriculum Intent Statement

Curriculum Intent

At Humberstone Infant and Junior Academies, pupils enjoy a richly diverse music curriculum that seeks to
engage and inspire, to foster a love of music and to develop musical talent.
Such aims are positively recognised in the National Curriculum for their potential to increase
“self-confidence, creativity and a sense of achievement”. These goals are underpinned through the delivery
of an academically inclusive curriculum, comprising listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing, and
composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.
By the time they leave Humberstone, pupils will have had the opportunity to receive skilled specialist
tuition on a minimum of 3 different musical instruments. They will have been exposed to and encouraged
to use specific musical language and vocabulary to describe their learning. They will have had the chance to
develop compositional and improvisation skills to increase aural memory and a basic understanding of
written western notation, to expand their cultural capital.
Performance is fundamental and all pupils will be provided with the opportunity to sing and perform in
front of their peers and in a wider school setting, instilling self-confidence and a love of learning that will
accompany them through all stages of their educational journey.

Implementation

Our music curriculum follows National Curriculum objectives and is based on the Leicester-Shire Schools
Music Service Primary Scheme of Work. This has been developed by specialist music teachers and has clear
progression routes with assessment built into the lesson plans.
The music curriculum follows the inter-related dimensions of music and the following musical elements are
implemented and repeated throughout each year group: Pulse, Voice, Rhythm, Pitch, Technology, Structure
and Form and 20th Century Music. This ensures that skills and knowledge are embedded and developed
year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.
Music learning is also supported by access to a wide range of instruments and from Year 3, children will
have the unique opportunity to learn an instrument as part of a class ensemble. Instruments include
recorder, ukulele and glockenspiel and the benefit of learning these instruments ‘in house’ means that
instrumental learning can be tailored and adapted to the essential musical elements simultaneously being
taught.

There are frequent opportunities for children to express their creativity through improvising and composing
and each unit of work culminates in a class performance which forms the basis of teacher assessment.
Children also have regular opportunities to participate in singing assemblies and to join the extra-curricular
group ‘Young Voices’ which has performed numerous times at Birmingham’s NEC as part of the national
‘Youth Voices’ music project.
Increasing external instrumental provision and the formation of an extra-curricular school band is also part
of Humberstone’s vision.

Impact

Music assessment is ongoing, informing planning, lesson activities and differentiation. Summative
assessment is completed at the end of each unit to highlight improvements or skills that still need to be
embedded.

By the time children leave Humberstone they will have:

• Acquired a sound musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception,
  internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise.
• Developed a level of technical expertise on a number of musical instruments and have some
  understanding of how to read basic notation
• Developed a strong awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres.
• Achieved excellent understanding of how musical provenance – the historical, social and cultural
  origins of music – contributes to the diversity of musical styles.
• Developed the ability to give precise verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively,
  accurately and appropriately.
• Acquired a genuine passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities.