St John The Baptist Church of England Primary School
Loving Learning, Building Community, Growing in Faith
Welcome
Music
Music is firmly embedded across the whole school as part of the context and ethos of a Church of England school.
It is our belief that every young person should be able to listen to, appreciate and experience music, building their musical skills through singing and playing instruments.
Curriculum
From arriving in school in FS, children are encouraged to listen to music of many styles and genres, experiment with sound making and to sing! In FS, KS1 and KS2, children receive a 30 minute timetabled music lessons in addition to a 30 minute singing session.
Using the framework of the Model Music Curriculum, the key areas of singing, listening, composing and performing are developed and progression is supported. We use the Leicestershire Schools’ Music Service Scheme of Work and this has allowed us to ensure that progression is consistent across the year groups, with each stage of learning ensuring that musical techniques and skills can be nurtured and developed.
Singing takes place weekly in phase groups. This allows the expectation and content to be appropriate for each stage of learning. Using the recommendations of the MMC, singing technique and skills are taught through a range of activities, increasing in range and complexity.
Instrumental tuition, ensembles, choir and clubs
Our Whole Class Ensemble tuition means that every child has the opportunity to learn to play the recorder in Year 4. (PP children each receive a recorder to keep, free of charge).
We are very fortunate to have a team of peripatetic music teachers who visit the school on a weekly basis to offer lessons in violin, flute, clarinet, cornet, French horn, trombone and percussion. There is a charge for lessons, but Pupil Premium children can have assistance with the cost. The school has some instruments which can he hired out free of charge.
Wind band and string ensemble rehearse weekly in school time. Children are also given the opportunity to join after school/ before school clubs such as KS2 choir or African drumming and percussion club. There is also a drama club which combines acting, dancing and singing and a Glee club which encourages children to learn and perform songs from musicals and other popular songs. Club fees are charged at £3.50 a session. Pupil Premium children can attend a club free of charge.
Gifted and talented children are signposted to take part in Leicestershire Music Hub ensembles and choirs, held at various locations in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. We also encourage children to attend musical open days at St. James the Greater Church and Leicester Cathedral Choir open days.
Performance opportunities
Every child in the school takes part in a Christmas Concert (There were 9 different performances in total last year). Performance opportunities take place throughout the year, for example: class assemblies, Year 6 leavers production, Drama club production. We have close links with St. John’s Church and all children take part in learning songs and singing during church services and assemblies.
The School Choir rehearses weekly. At Christmas they took part in a special public Christmas Carol Service at St. James the Greater Church. They also performed in all 4 of the KS2 Christmas Productions. They have also recently taken part in a massed singing day at Avenue Junior School and hope to do a concert during the Summer Term.
The School Orchestra rehearses weekly. Members of the orchestra visited a local Sheltered Housing Complex and performed a Christmas concert to the residents. All musicians (Year 4 recorders, choir, orchestra, soloists and ensembles) performed at the Summer Concert last year.
We have a variety of musical clubs running weekly, including choir, drama club, Glee club, drumming club. Pupil Premium children can attend a club free of charge.
Detail | Information |
Academic year that this summary covers | 2024-2025 |
Date this summary was published | August 2024 |
Date this summary will be reviewed | July 2025 |
Name of the school music lead | Mrs. C. Beaumont |
Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different) | N/A |
Name of local music hub | Leicestershire Schools Music Service Hub |
Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place) | N/A |