Intent

At Thorpe C of E Primary School, we intend to promote a love of music and develop the children's musical skills. We aim to provide children with a wide range of musical opportunities. As listeners and observers, or at any level of participation, music plays an important part in personal development.  Through musical teaching and learning, children can acquire skills, knowledge and understanding in the subject. There can also be benefits across the curriculum, especially through singing. These include increased concentration, listening skills, confidence, co-ordination and co-operative working as well as using music as a relaxation and mind-calming aid. 

In EYFS, in the specific area of Expressive Arts and Design, children will listen and participate in a range of music activities such as songs, rhymes and dances; exploring different beats, patterns, pace and tempo. They will gain confidence to perform and use their voices expressively.

Implementation

At Thorpe, we use Charanga to support and improve the quality of music teaching that children receive at our school. Charanga works seamlessly with the national curriculum ensuring that learners revisit the interrelated dimensions of music: pulse, voice, pitch and rhythm- building upon previous learning and skills. The learning within this Scheme is based on: Listening and Appraising, Musical Activities, creating and exploring and singing and performing.  

The Charanga music scheme allows children to explore a variety of topics and styles of music. The lessons provide children with the opportunity to listen and respond to different styles of music, use their voices and instruments to listen and sing back and have a go at composing their own piece of music. The lessons are planned so that each year children follow on from the learning they completed the previous year and clear progression is evident across the school.

This scheme also allows for a variety of instruments to be used. Year 2 learn to play the recorders and Year 3 learn to play the Glockenspiels as part of the basic scheme. There are also different instrument ‘Worlds’ which all years can access. Year 4 learn how to play the P-Cornets and Baritones through weekly lessons from Egham brass band leaders. Music is a daily occurrence in our Early Years classrooms. Charanga also offers lessons for Reception that are based around Nursery rhymes. These encourage the children to build basic musical skills, such as finding the beat to a song.

 

Thorpe C of E offers a wide range of musical opportunities for its pupils. There are peripatetic lessons for piano and guitar lessons offered by Surrey Arts, a weekly singing assembly, choir club, P-Cornet club and dance club. Our school choir enjoys performing at a variety of local events, and delights in the opportunity to perform at Wembley Arena each year. EYFS and KS1, perform in the Harvest festival and Christmas nativity and KS2 lead a Remembrance and carol service at St Mary’s church each year. We hold a ‘Music Concert’ at the end of the spring term, where children are invited to share their talents with the rest of the school. Participating in such events, promotes an enjoyment of music and a sense of community.

Impact 

By following the Charanga scheme, the children at Thorpe have the opportunity to listen and appraise a wide variety of musical genres. Children will recognise how the style, tradition and genre of music connects to the historical period. They will discover the most popular songs from different eras, including the works of the great composers and musicians. Children will learn the structure and style of songs, through the study of musical elements. Having been inspired by popular musical artists, children will improvise and compose a sequence of melodies through playing untuned and tuned percussions. Throughout the unit of work, all children are able to perform as individuals, partners or in a musical ensemble.