At Halam C of E Primary School, Music is fully inclusive to every child. Music provides all children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills, and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.

Our school aims to follow the specifications of the National Curriculum; providing a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum and ensuring the progressive development of musical concepts, knowledge and skills by using the musical program Charanga. We believe that music plays an integral role in helping children to feel part of a community, therefore we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music both in class and to an audience. Through assemblies and performances, children showcase their talent and their understanding of performing with awareness of others. Lessons enable children to develop their skills, appreciate a wide variety of music and begin to appraise a range of musical genres.

The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as our daily collective worships, weekly singing practice, church services, whole school performances and the learning of instruments. Through the musical program Charanga, teachers are able to produce inclusive lessons for all children to access the musical curriculum in a fun and engaging way, further promoting a love of learning.

Teachers deliver music following the Charanga programme, designed specifically for the teaching of music in primary schools. Charanga lessons are planned in sequences to provide children with the opportunities to review, remember, deepen and apply their understanding. Children are able to use some of the language of music, and understand how music is made, played, and appreciated. In the classroom, children have the opportunity to learn how to play instruments such as the recorder and a variety of percussion instruments.

Children also have the opportunity to learn an instrument such as guitar and piano through the use of an outside provider. Playing various instruments enables children to use a range of methods to create notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds also helps to develop the understanding of musical elements.

At Halam C of E Primary School, children are able to enjoy music in many ways such as being a listener, creator or performer. Children show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social and historical contexts in which it is developed. Children understand the ways in which music can be written down to support composing and performing activities. Children demonstrate an enthusiasm for music and have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, ideas, opinions and musical preferences. Children are provided with opportunities to support their understanding which include visits to the Halle Orchestra, taking part in church services, school productions, collective worship and an opportunity to learn an instrument through an external provider. Children are also encouraged to showcase their musical interests and talents in class, assemblies and performances such as our annual Carols and Mince Pies concert.