Primary Intent
Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. At Ark Globe Primary, we want our music curriculum to engage and inspire our students; to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and in doing so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. Our curriculum is designed so that as our students progress they will develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, to perform and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.
High quality music education is unparalleled in its ability to stimulate personal, emotional and intellectual development and motivate social change. Given the right conditions, we believe that every child can be a musician and enjoy improved life chances as a result. At Globe Primary, we provide a progressive, inclusive and practical curriculum through which learners develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to both succeed academically and to enjoy a lifelong relationship with music.
At Ark Globe Primary, our students are taught 1 Music lesson per week led by an Ark specialist Music teacher or their class teacher as well as separate phase singing assemblies. The Ark Music curriculum is built upon four pillars:
A cumulative, knowledge-rich curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to introduce and secure key musical knowledge and skills in a sequential and connected manner.
Placing the voice at the heart of musical learning
We believe that musical learning begins with the voice, and throughout our curriculum students develop their musicianship through singing activities that offer increasing levels of challenge and complexity. Musicianship skills are further developed in our KS2 instrumental programme where our curricula lead students to establish a secure playing technique, explore creative ideas and develop musical understanding.
Exploratory, play-based learning from the earliest moments
Our approach to teaching Music in EYFS integrates formal and free-flow learning to unlock imagination and creativity. From Key Stage 1 onwards, activities that stimulate more conscious learning are phased in, introducing students to the building blocks of music that shape the world around them.
Developing community-minded learners
Opportunities to teach and reflect on behaviours that will secure a safe and successful learning community are woven into schemes of work. Students experience a musical diet that encourages the exploration of historical and contemporary issues and invites them to consider their own contribution to society.
Secondary Intent
Our Music Curriculum prepares our students for university and to be leaders in their community by:
- Building a growth mindset and a culture of ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ that encourages pupils’ to take risks in their development of Performance, Composition and Appraising skills.
- Providing pupils with Performance opportunities within school and the local community, to build resilience and confidence whilst enriching classroom learning.
- Exposing pupils to a knowledge rich curriculum of various musical cultures which allows pupils to appreciate different cultures and become ambassadors in the community.
So that all pupils develop a love for Music, confidently perform and flourish on an instrument that they never knew they could play.
From the Globe music studio
Examples of student work
Reception
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Physical Responses to Musical Elements: Pulse and Rhythm, Vocalisation: Use the 5 voices for better vocal control | Physical Responses to Musical Elements: Pulse and Rhythm, Vocalisation: Use the 5 voices for better vocal control |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Physical Responses to Musical Elements: Pitch, Vocalisation: Sing so-mi-la songs with vocal accuracy | Physical Responses to Musical Elements: Pitch, Vocalisation: Sing so-mi-la songs with vocal accuracy |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Physical Responses to Musical Elements: All Elements, Vocalisation: Gain control over a range of 5-6 notes | Physical Responses to Musical Elements: All Elements, Vocalisation: Gain control over a range of 5-6 notes |
All Reception subjects Next Reception Subject - Art and Design
Year 1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Vocal: Establishing Musicianship Skills | Vocal: Establishing Musicianship Skills |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Exploring Musicianship: Rhythm | Exploring Musicianship: Pitch |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Creating your own music: The Gruffalo | Showtime! Rehearsing and Performing |
Year 2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Vocal: Establishing Musicianship Skills | Vocal: Establishing Musicianship Skills |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Exploring Musicianship: Rhythm | Exploring Musicianship: Pitch |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Creating your own music: George's Marvellous Medicine | Showtime! Rehearsing and Performing |
Year 3
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
Year 4
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Learn to play the Ukulele | Learn to play the Ukulele |
Year 5
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Musical Journeys: Harmony, Texture and Structure | Musical Journeys: Harmony, Texture and Structure |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Rhythm: Perform Anna Meredith's Connect It | Rhythm: Perform Anna Meredith's Connect It |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Let's Get Creative: Freedom Songs | Showtime! Rehearsing and Performing |
Year 6
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Musical Journeys: Harmony, Texture and Structure | Musical Journeys: Harmony, Texture and Structure |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Focus on Rhythm, Texture, Instrumentation and Structure | Focus on Rhythm, Texture, Instrumentation and Structure |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Let's Get Creative: Aspiration Songs | Showtime! Rehearsing and Performing |
Year 7
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Stomp and Sing Students will learn to sing and perform body percussion to two pieces of music. |
Stomp and Sing Students will learn to sing and perform body percussion to two pieces of music. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Power of the Pentatonic Students will learn how to construct melodies using the pentatonic scale. Students will also learn about the significance of the scale globally/historically. |
Power of the Pentatonic Students will learn how to construct melodies using the pentatonic scale. Students will also learn about the significance of the scale globally/historically. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Playing in a band Students will work in bands to create their own piece of music to a set stimulus. |
Playing in a band Students will work in bands to create their own piece of music to a set stimulus. |
Year 8
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Djembe Drumming Students will learn the conventions and techniques associated with djembe drumming. |
Djembe Drumming Students will learn the conventions and techniques associated with djembe drumming. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
The Beauty of Baroque Students will learn Pachelbel’s Canon and create their own modernised version using Logic. |
The Beauty of Baroque Students will learn Pachelbel’s Canon and create their own modernised version using Logic. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
The Blues Students will learn to perform a 12-bar blues and have an understanding of the cultural/historical significance of the genre. |
The Blues Students will learn to perform a 12-bar blues and have an understanding of the cultural/historical significance of the genre. |
Year 9
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Music Production Students will learn how to use Logic to record and produce their own music. |
Music Production Students will learn how to use Logic to record and produce their own music. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Film Music Students will use Logic to add sounds to video. They will also learn how to manipulate synthesisers. |
Film Music Students will use Logic to add sounds to video. They will also learn how to manipulate synthesisers. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Song Writing Students will use their acquired skills in KS3 to create and perform their own original piece of music. |
Song Writing Students will use their acquired skills in KS3 to create and perform their own original piece of music. |
Year 10
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Set Work – Africa by Toto Students will learn to analyse and evaluate the set work in great detail. This will also act as a grounding in popular music conventions. |
Free Composition – Harmony & Melody Students will create their own piece of music and develop their own complex and sophisticated harmony/melody. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Film Music Students will learn about the conventions of music for film. |
Free Composition – Rhythm and refinement Students will add complex and developed rhythms to their pieces. They will complete their first composition in Spring 2. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Set Work – Bach Baldinerie Students will learn to analyse and evaluate the set work in great detail. They will also learn the conventions of the western classical tradition. |
Jazz and Blues Students will learn to perform Jazz and Blues. This will involve improvisation and extended chords. This will also involve exploring more complex song structures. |
Year 11
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Composition to a brief Students will create a composition to a stimulus provided by the exam board. |
Solo Performances Students will work on a solo performance of their choosing. This will be graded on difficulty, accuracy and expression. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Composition to a brief Students will create a composition to a stimulus provided by the exam board. |
Ensemble Performances Students will work in groups of 2 or more on an ensemble piece. They will be graded individually. The ensemble piece will be graded on difficulty, accuracy and expression. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Listening Exam Prep Students will consolidate their learning and prepare for the exam. This will involve dictation, extended writing and evaluation. |
Listening Exam Prep Students will consolidate their learning and prepare for the exam. This will involve dictation, extended writing and evaluation. |