Music

Our Music Curriculum

Intent

At Our Lady of Lourdes, we aspire for all our children to develop a love for Music and an appreciation of its power to express emotion, tell stories and bring people together. We aim to teach children to listen, perform and compose like musicians, while exploring and valuing a wide range of musical styles, traditions and composers from different cultures and periods of time.

We intend for Music to be an engaging, practical subject that nurtures children’s creativity, confidence and enjoyment, while stimulating their natural curiosity about sound and music in the world around them. Pupils at Our Lady of Lourdes will develop their musical knowledge and vocabulary through first-hand experiences of listening, singing, performing, composing and evaluating music, building progressively on prior learning.

Implementation

Teachers will create a positive attitude towards Music within their classrooms and reinforce high expectations for all pupils. We aim to help our children become confident musicians by providing a curriculum that builds progressively on prior learning. Children are taught how each new unit of Music connects to previous musical experiences, enabling them to develop a deeper understanding of musical concepts within a wider musical context.

The key musical skills of listening, performing, composing and evaluating are embedded within every lesson and developed progressively throughout each child's journey through school. Lessons are practical, inclusive and engaging, ensuring that all children are inspired, challenged and able to participate successfully. Each lesson has clear learning objectives that are shared with the children so they understand what they are learning and why it is important.

Teachers identify and address musical misconceptions through effective modelling, repetition and rehearsal where appropriate, enabling children to develop confidence and accuracy in their musical understanding. Pupils are encouraged to explore, create and express their own musical ideas and are given regular opportunities to compose, perform and reflect on their work.

Music learning is placed within a meaningful context by making clear links between classroom learning and music in everyday life, celebrations, worship and the wider world. Throughout their time in school, children are introduced to a diverse range of musicians, composers and musical traditions, ensuring that all pupils experience broad musical representation and can see themselves reflected within the curriculum.

Where appropriate, children's musical work is recorded and presented in line with whole-school expectations. Learning is reinforced through regular opportunities to listen to music, revisit key musical vocabulary and practise essential skills, ensuring that knowledge is retained and that children are well prepared for the next stage of their musical learning.

Impact

Our children will leave Our Lady of Lourdes with a love and appreciation for Music, with the confidence to listen to, perform and create music of their own. They will be able to make clear connections between their learning in class and the music they encounter in everyday life.

Through a deepening musical understanding, children will continue to explore their creativity and express themselves confidently by applying their musical skills, such as singing, playing instruments, composing, listening critically and evaluating music. Children at Our Lady of Lourdes will have been exposed to a diverse range of musicians and musical traditions, inspiring a lifelong enjoyment of Music and a desire to continue to listen, perform and create as musicians.