Music
Music at Thorpe Lea Primary School
Intent
Here at Thorpe Lea 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.
Implementation
Music is a subject enjoyed by both the pupils and teachers at our school. We follow the Charanga music scheme, which allows us to cover all areas of the National Curriculum in an exciting and enjoyable way. There are popular songs which different year groups learn to sing and perform, and challenges for classes to take part in. This scheme also allows for a variety of instruments to be used. While Years 3 and 4 learn to play the Glockenspiels as part of the basic scheme, there are also different instrument ‘Worlds’ which all years can access.
Thorpe Lea offers a wide range of musical opportunities for its pupils. There is weekly singing assembly, choir club, and even dance clubs where the children can listen to the music and move to the beat! Our school choir enjoys performing at a variety of local events, and even goes to the O2 to perform once a year! This term Year 4 are currently learning how to play the Ukulele following the Tuning Up programme run by Surrey Arts.
Music is a daily occurrence in our Early Years classrooms. While there is daily singing and instrument play in Nursery, 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.
Impact
By following the Charanga scheme, the children at Thorpe Lea 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 an musical ensemble. There are plenty of opportunities for children to perform in whole school events such as Christmas and End of Year Celebrations, for example Year 4 to show the skills they have been learning in their Tuning Up Programme. Choir will develop their self-esteem and confidence in performing at national events such as The Voices at Wembley Arena. Participating in such events, promotes an enjoyment for music and a sense of community. We measure impact through lesson observations and work monitoring as well as pupil voice and dialogue between the subject leader and specialist Music teacher.
Below is a table showing the different units for each term on the Charanga scheme.
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Reception | 'Me' | 'My Stories' | 'Everyone' | 'Our World' | 'Big Bear Funk' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 1 | 'Hey You!' | 'Rhythm In The Way We Walk and The Banana Rap' | 'In The Groove' | 'Round and Round' | 'Your Imagination' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 2 | 'Hands, Feet, Heart' | 'Ho Ho Ho' | 'I Wanna Play in a Band' | 'Zootime' | 'The Friendship Song' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 3 | 'Let Your Spirit Fly' | 'Glockenspiels Stage 1' | 'Three Little Birds' | 'The Dragon Song' | 'Bringing Us Together' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 4 | 'Mama Mia' | 'Glockenspiels Stage 2' | 'Stop!' | 'Lean On Me' | 'Blackbird' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 5 | 'Living on a Prayer' | 'Classroom Jazz 1' | 'Make You Feel My Love' | 'Fresh Prince Of Bel Air' | 'Dancing in the Street' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
| Year 6 | 'Happy' | 'Classroom Jazz 2' | 'A New Year Carol' | 'You've Got A Friend' | 'Reflect, Rewind and Replay' |
We are very lucky at Thorpe Lea to have a school choir. The school choir is run by Miss Rickett. They enjoy singing a variety of songs, which they get to perform at various events! Below is a link to their page which shows what they are up to at the moment.
Tuning Up Programme
Nursery
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
