Music Ethos

Music, as a subject, is something that any child can access and engage with both independently and in a group. It allows children to develop skills that can be transferred to life but also provides them with a different channel that can be used to express themselves.

Music at The Willows School
It is important that music is presented in a unique and appealing way that promotes learning and engagement but helps build understanding. As a result every lesson aims to incorporate key areas of creativity to open up the children’s imagination regardless of experience and ability. Music is taught to from Year 3 to Year 8 weekly and uses a mixture of Charanga (http://charanga.com/site) and AQA UAS units. Through development of the Long Term Plan children are provided a vast array of musical experiences that are relevant and created around interests of our children.

Throughout every lesson children will be given these opportunities to ensure that teaching encompasses all key areas of the subject.

• Music appreciation – through listening children develop the ability to recognise key features and create their own opinions whilst looking at other cultures and beliefs.
• Movement – is a way children can show their understanding of pulse, rhythms and enjoyment of various musical styles.
• Composition – allows children to create their own ideas and representing them in a way that is relevant to individual children enabling them to explore and express their own ideas.
• Performance – children will organise and participate in concerts that they have practiced for throughout the lessons but also have opportunities for professionals to come in and share their skills. In doing so the children will be able to experience what it is like to be in the audience.