Music
Intent
Music and performing arts ignite the spark of true learning – they tap into something deeper, something that no intervention or booster session can bring out of a pupil. The power of music calms, focuses and inspires. It can improve maths, English, behaviour and attitudes to learning. At Summerlea School, we aspire to harness this to bring happiness and success to young hearts and minds.
Our vision and ambition are that teachers across the school are supported to use music to transform the outlook of children and lay the foundation for a happy, fulfilling and successful life.
Children will learn to play a range of instruments, as well as building their confidence whilst performing in front of peers and wider audiences. They will appreciate a wide variety of music from different eras, cultures and genres. They will listen with skill and emotion, unravelling music both personally and as a musician. They will see the beauty, complexity, skill and power that music delivers and they themselves will be able to develop their own skills and understanding to be able to share their own music with others.
Implementation
The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in classroom activities using the Charanga music scheme. The elements of music are taught through this scheme so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed. Pupils also learn how to read basic music notation and create their own ways of recording their own and others’ music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.
Pupils also participate in weekly singing assemblies and performances that are annually timetabled to allow all children the opportunity to engage with a variety of audiences. Children are taught to play tuned and untuned percussion instruments throughout their time at Summerlea. Our school also has a number of skilled peripatetic music teachers offering a range of musical tuition in addition to the school curriculum and our liaison with West Sussex Music Hub allows the school to access Whole Class Ensemble Tuition, giving each child in Year 4 a chance to learn a musical instrument for a term.
Musical opportunities are also offered as extra-curricular activities and our newly-formed ‘Summerlea Singers’ performed successfully at our Candlelit Carol Concert at Christmas and are now rehearsing for further performances in our community. . 'Music Factor' is also a highlight in whole school assembly and exposes both staff and pupils to a wide range of music genres and styles.
Whilst in school, children have opportunities to forge their own musical journey, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music also develops an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose - either as listener, creator or performer. They can discuss music and comprehend its parts. They can sing, feel a pulse, add rhythms and create melodies in a group and they can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.
To view our music curriculum, click here.