At Thwaites School, Music is an ambitious and inclusive part of our broad and balanced curriculum. We want every pupil to develop confidence in musical expression, enjoyment in making music and a lasting appreciation of music as a meaningful and enriching part of life.

Music supports pupils’ creativity, communication, listening skills and emotional expression. It also develops confidence, collaboration and cultural understanding. Through Music, pupils learn to listen attentively, sing and perform with others, create and respond to music and appreciate a broad range of musical styles, traditions and historical periods.

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced from Reception to Year 6 and designed to work effectively within our mixed-age classes. It provides pupils with a coherent musical journey in which important concepts and skills are revisited, strengthened and applied in increasingly sophisticated ways.

Curriculum Organisation and Progression

In Reception and Key Stage 1, Music is taught through carefully planned units that develop listening, singing, movement, performance and early musical understanding.

Core musical concepts are introduced and revisited regularly, including:

• pulse;

• rhythm;

• pitch;

• tempo;

• dynamics;

• structure; and

• musical notation appropriate to pupils’ ages and stages.

Pupils encounter these concepts in different musical contexts, allowing them to build familiarity and deepen their understanding through exploration, repetition and application.

In Key Stage 2, pupils continue to develop their musical knowledge and skills through a combination of instrumental tuition, singing, performance, listening and cultural exploration. Our Key Stage 2 provision includes:

• whole-class brass tuition delivered by a peripatetic music specialist;

• Global Music Days exploring music from different cultures and traditions;

• regular singing during assemblies;

• opportunities to participate in the school choir;

• participation in musical events such as Young Voices; and

• opportunities to listen to and experience live music wherever possible.

These experiences work together to develop instrumental skills, ensemble awareness, performance confidence and a broad appreciation of music.

Teaching and Learning

Music lessons are practical and characterised by high levels of participation. Teachers and music specialists provide clear musical modelling and demonstration before pupils practise, perform, listen, respond and refine their skills.

Pupils learn to:

• listen attentively and identify musical features;

• sing confidently and expressively;

• perform using voices, instruments and movement;

• create and respond to music;

• use musical vocabulary when discussing what they hear and perform;

• read and respond to age-appropriate musical notation;

• practise and improve a musical performance; and

• work collaboratively as part of a group or ensemble.

Music is presented as a shared and enjoyable experience. Pupils are encouraged to contribute, take creative risks and recognise that musical improvement develops through careful listening, practice and perseverance.

Music in Mixed Age Classes

Our curriculum has been designed specifically for our mixed-age organisation. Pupils may share the same musical focus while teachers adapt tasks, instruments, musical parts, support and expectations according to their age, experience and stage of development.

Flexible outcomes enable every pupil to participate in the same broad musical experience while receiving an appropriate degree of support or challenge. As pupils progress, they demonstrate increasingly secure musical understanding, control, independence and confidence.

Inclusion and Adaptation

Music at Thwaites School is inclusive by design. We believe that every pupil should be able to participate meaningfully in music-making and experience musical success.

Teachers may adapt:

• instruments and equipment;

• the complexity of a rhythm, melody or musical part;

• the pace and length of an activity;

• groupings and ensemble roles;

• visual or verbal prompts;

• opportunities for rehearsal; and

• the level of adult support or challenge.

Success is recognised through participation, confidence, personal improvement and musical application rather than comparison between pupils or an expectation of technical perfection.

Musical Enrichment

Music extends beyond individual curriculum lessons. Pupils have opportunities to sing together, perform for others, participate in a choir and experience the enjoyment of making music as part of a larger group.

Global Music Days enable pupils to explore musical traditions from different cultures and broaden their understanding of music within the wider world. Participation in events such as Young Voices gives pupils the opportunity to rehearse and perform as part of a large ensemble.

Whole-class brass tuition enables all Key Stage 2 pupils to learn an instrument together, developing instrumental control, musical understanding, cooperation and ensemble awareness. Opportunities to listen to live music also help pupils appreciate the skill, expression and variety involved in musical performance.

Assessment

Assessment in Music is practical, proportionate and directly connected to the curriculum. It reflects the aural, creative and performance-based nature of the subject.

Teachers assess pupils continually through:

• observation of listening, participation and performance;

• pupils’ application of concepts such as pulse, pitch, tempo and dynamics;

• questioning and musical discussion;

• pupils’ use of appropriate vocabulary;

• the control and confidence demonstrated when singing or playing; and

• pupils’ ability to work as part of a group or ensemble.

Assessment enables teachers to recognise progress, identify misconceptions and adapt subsequent teaching. There are no written tests, numerical scores or levels in Music, ensuring that lesson time is devoted to listening, performing and experiencing music.

In Reception and Key Stage 1, teachers complete a concise assessment summary at the end of each unit. This considers three knowledge endpoints and three skills endpoints and enables teachers to judge whether most, some or few pupils are secure in the intended learning.

Pupil reflection takes place verbally at the end of lessons or units. Pupils discuss what they have learned, what they enjoyed or found challenging and how their performance improved through practice.

Reflection during Key Stage 2 Global Music Days follows a child-friendly model focused on participation, performance and musical experience rather than formal written assessment.

Progress in whole-class brass tuition is assessed annually through the professional judgement of the peripatetic music teacher. This considers pupils’ instrumental control, musical understanding and participation within the ensemble.

Progress in Music is demonstrated through pupils’ increasing ability to:

• listen with attention and discrimination;

• perform with control, accuracy and confidence;

• apply musical concepts in new contexts;

• use musical vocabulary appropriately;

• create and respond to music;

• participate successfully in group and ensemble work; and

• reflect upon and improve their performance.

By the end of Year 6, we aim for pupils to leave Thwaites School with the confidence to participate in music-making, the ability to listen and perform as part of an ensemble and a secure understanding of how music can communicate ideas and emotions. They should be prepared to engage with musical opportunities at secondary school and beyond, viewing music as a lifelong source of enjoyment, expression and shared experience.