Music

Intent 

At The Galfrid School, we have an integrated, practical, exploratory, and child-led approach to musical learning which is fully inclusive and accessible for all. Through our music curriculum, which is mainly based on Charanga’s original scheme, all children learn the interrelated dimensions of music whilst simultaneously developing their musical knowledge and skills. Our music curriculum offers a repetition-based approach to learning. Over time, children develop new musical skills and concepts, and re-visit established musical skills and concepts thereby developing a deeper understanding of music. In addition, we also want our children to enjoy music and to leave school with a life-long appreciation and recognition of the benefits that it can bring to their lives and the positive impact that it can have on their physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

Implementation 

Musical learning at The Galfrid School is built around the “interrelated dimensions of music”: pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and notation. Our music curriculum comprises the strands of musical learning which correspond with the national curriculum for music: listening and appraising different genres through historical periods to the present day; song-based musical activities and games which embed the interrelated dimensions of music through repetition; singing; playing instruments with the song to be learnt using tuned/untuned classroom percussion with the option of playing any band instrument: a sound before symbol approach is used but scores are provided as an understanding of notation is introduced to the children; improvising with the song using voices, hands and instruments occurs in some of the units of work; composing with the song using instruments occurs in some units of work and performing/sharing what has taken place during the lesson. As well as classroom music, children in KS2 learn how to play the ukulele and music therapy, organised through the SEND team, is available for SEND children.

Impact 

Over time, our repetition-based approach to musical learning provides a more secure, deeper learning and mastery of musical knowledge and skills. Throughout, children’s enjoyment of music is a key element reinforcing the value that music can have on their own and others’ lives and wellbeing. Our music curriculum also builds on children’s cultural capital by exposing them to different genres such as reggae, classical, jazz, rock, pop, folk, hip-hop, ballads and choral music for example. In addition, our music provision is also devised to provide education with character through musical workshops, school productions, performances in school as well as in the local and wider, national community, collaborations with other schools in Cambridge, Cambridge University as well other schools within United Learning. Opportunities for private, professional tuition are also made available for individual children wishing to develop their musical learning beyond the curriculum.