Capel Primary School

Music

At Capel Primary School, we have started to use the Kent Interactive Music programme, Charanga. Home – Kent Interactive Music

Our Intent: 

Through Charanga Model music curriculum, which is aligned with the National Curriculum for Music, and the non-statutory Model music curriculum, we intend to deliver music learning that is fun and engaging for all concerned. Through a spiral approach, children will revisit, build and extend the knowledge and skills incrementally.  This supports consolidation, leading to confident musical ability which enables them to go further.

We aim to ensure children have many opportunities to listen to a range of music, sing and compose, using the skills that have been built on over their time at Capel.

Implementation:

Through Charanga Music, children have a clear development of skills and experiences that can be clearly seen in our progression map below. Weekly lessons are dedicated to the specific curriculum, but also is carefully planned by teachers to make links with other learning. For example, pupils will learn about specific cultures that may reflect their geography content, or history content. They will learn songs that develop their understanding of our culture, that help to reinforce and understand feelings and emotions, and that reflect a range of musical styles. Children have a music book to record their work that will go with them through the classes, enabling them to look back on previous learning and reflect on their next steps. 

To ensure quality teaching, our staff are able to source training through the Charanga musical site, specifically matching their needs. We are able to respond to children's interests through the instruments we choose and the clubs that we provide. We also run staff meetings to explore strategies to teach notation and address areas that teachers would benefit from.

Our extra-curricular clubs include choir, run by Mrs Haffenden, Ukulele lessons run by Mrs Taylor, and we hope to run a drumming club this academic year. Our choir performs at public events and they travel to the O2 each year for Young Voices.

We also use Kent Music school to deliver whole class instrument lesson in Year 4, which is currently the Ukulele. The children receive a weekly lesson from a qualified music teacher. Some students also have individual tutoring lessons which may be piano, violin, or guitar. As of this academic year, pupil premium families  can use their credit system towards the cost of lessons.

To promote music throughout the school. In assemblies we sing together and learning songs regularly, and we have held special musical assemblies where students could demonstrate their skills and some staff members also joined in.  We also invite in musicians to come and show instruments to children, both in assemblies and through our Enrichment Days. Our first Enrichment Day of 2022/2023 was focused on music, with workshops around composing, drumming, performing, singing and listening. We also use music as a main part of our special Christmas performances, our class assemblies and special occasions. 

Impact:

We see more children getting involved in music lessons, both at school and outside of school. Children are more confident to take up an instrument and to perform in front of others and our children love to watch them. Our children are more able to talk about music, identifying certain characteristics, sharing their responses and opinions and joining in with playing and singing.