Music

Our Vision for Music Education

Intent

 

At Western House Academy, our music curriculum is designed to be fully inclusive and innovative, ensuring that every child from Nursery to Year 6 develops not only the essential musical knowledge and skills needed to play a range of instruments, but also develops a range of holistic learning attributes that will benefit them as they go on to become a global citizen. 

We structure our lessons to foster creativity, curiosity, and confidence in composing and performing, whether this be to a small group or a large audience. The music curriculum integrates the four elements of VKEE (Values, Knowledge, Equality and Experience) in a range of ways. Our approach considers the diversity in our school and integrates a rich and varied focus on global musical styles and genres. We actively promote equality by celebrating music from different cultures and backgrounds. For example, the children in Year 4 learn to perform and compose their own Indian talas and the children in Year 3 have weekly Steel Pan lessons. We also highlight the achievements of musicians with disabilities, such as Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. During Black History Month, Year 6 students learn about The Blues and explore the contributions of influential Black musicians such as B.B. King, James Brown, Miles Davis, and Billie Holiday. 

Furthermore, we teach the children to sing empowering and meaningful songs in Singing Assemblies. The Year 6 Music Mentors create weekly Google Slides based on a musical genre, presenting information on a musician from that genre, which is then discussed in the assembly. A broad range of musical genres are selected, ensuring that the children experience listening to and engaging with styles of music that both represent and broaden their cultural capital. Music from these genres is then played around the school so that the children are exposed to a broad range of musical styles and traditions. In lessons these styles of music are discussed in the context of how musical history has developed over time, broadening the children’s knowledge of styles of music from the Western Classical canon of music, all the way through to modern sub-genres such as dub reggae.   This inclusivity ensures that music is accessible and relevant to all children, regardless of their gender, race, age, disability, or sexuality and fosters compassionate and open-minded global citizens.

Implementation

Music lessons at Western House Academy are taught through a blend of direct instruction, collaborative activities, and performance opportunities. Students engage in weekly music lessons and singing assemblies, developing their playing abilities on various instruments such as the guitar, ukulele, keyboard and drums, as well as refining their singing voice. The music curriculum often provides cross-curricular links with other subjects like Science, Maths, and English. Learning experiences are consistently placed within social, cultural, and historical contexts, too, such as the children being taught to have an understanding of the Brazilian carnival culture which enhances their Samba performances, ensuring a deeper and more energetic engagement with the music.

A key aspect of our implementation is the emphasis placed on both the reading and writing of formal musical notation as well as to the learning style of ‘playing by ear and memory’ from the oral traditions of music. This dual approach develops a comprehensive understanding of musical structure. The Year 3 children, who receive specialist instruction on the steel pan, learn modern and contemporary calypso songs in the aural tradition. The Year 6 children learn how to play traditional pieces from the Western Classical Cannon and compose their own melodies using formal notation.

Beyond the technical skills taught, lessons actively embed the Western House Academy core values of teamwork, respect, friendship, curiosity, ambition, courage, and resilience. Children consistently collaborate on musical outcomes, learning to be conscious of others while playing and performing. This helps the children to understand the importance of consistent practice and building proficiency. We also foster a growth mindset, highlighting that effort is paramount over perceived innate talent. 

Impact

We determine the impact of our music curriculum by observing the evidence of the student’s progress, engagement and development of both musical and personal attributes during their performances and compositions. Over the school year, there are multiple opportunities for the children to perform as soloists, as well as in small and large groups. These include whole-school singing celebrations at Christmas and for Sing Up Day, as well as events such as Diversity Day and Carnival during Black History Month. These performances offer the children the opportunity to express themselves clearly, showing a strong sense of community and fostering social bonds across year groups, with every child participating collectively. 

In the Music Curriculum, the children's confidence in performing is evident through their willingness to showcase their learning in large whole-class Djembe or Samba drumming performances, where the older children perform to the younger children. These opportunities are of mutual benefit to both the younger and older learners, with the younger children being inspired and influenced by the older children showcasing their learning. 

 Not only are our core values promoted in these collective learning opportunities, where the children can exhibit their teamwork and resilience, but, on an individual level, the children develop their critical analytical skills as a musician when they reflect upon their own performances and compositions. Listening skills are also continuously developed as the children are consistently encouraged to analyse and self-reflect on the deeper elements of their musical journey. 

Ultimately, the sustained enthusiasm and active participation our students have for Music aims to successfully cultivate joy, wonder, and a lifelong appreciation in every child for appreciating and playing music.