Music development plan summary:
 

Overview

This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our pupils across three areas – curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences – and what changes we are planning in future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education. 

Part A: Curriculum music

This section details what we teach during standard lesson time, how musical skills are developed across year groups, and how we ensure equity of access.

• Our Curriculum Approach: We follow a structured, high-quality music progression map utilizing the Charanga scheme across all year groups from Early Years through Key Stage 2. This ensures that pupils explore a wide variety of musical styles—ranging from Classical and Reggae to Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Motown —while embedding the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, and structure).
• Early Years Foundation Stage (Year R): Focuses on the Expressive Arts and Design framework, using music to build imagination, self-expression, and communication skills through nursery rhymes, songs, and classroom instruments.
• Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2): Pupils learn to use their voices expressively, experiment with combining sounds, and play tuned and untuned instruments musically.
• Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6): Pupils transition into solo and ensemble performances with increasing fluency, use and understand staff notation, and develop a deep understanding of the history of music.
• Whole-Class Instrumental Tuition: To ensure all children get the chance to learn an instrument as part of their regular curriculum time, we proudly provide free whole-class instrumental tuition to:
  • Year 2 (for half a term)
  • Year 4 (for half a term, which includes developing specific instrumental playing skills such as the glockenspiel)

Part B: Co-curricular music

This is about opportunities for pupils to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, and how pupils can make progress in music beyond the core curriculum.

• Instrumental Tuition: In addition to classroom music, we provide comprehensive, peripatetic instrumental tuition across a variety of instruments. This targeted individual instruction is available as a costed provision to all children from Reception to Year 6.
• After-School Choir: To foster a love for singing, performance, and collaboration, we run a free school choir after school every Monday. This ensemble is led by qualified musicians who help pupils build vocal technique, confidence, and teamwork in an encouraging environment.

Part C: Musical experiences

This section highlights the broader performance opportunities, community celebrations, and live music experiences organised by the school.

Throughout the academic year, all pupils participate in a rich calendar of musical events designed to showcase their hard work and celebrate their learning:

• Weekly Singing Assemblies: Allowing the whole school to come together to share and practice vocal work.
• Seasonal Performances: Including the Year R & Year 6 Nativity , the Christingle service, Harvest Festival and Easter assemblies.
• Special Celebrations: Annual participation in school-wide music events and the Year 6 Leavers’ musical production.
• Community and Off-Site Concerts: Regular opportunities for our after-school choir to perform at local community venues, the school Christmas Fair, and regional or national large-scale events.

In the future

At The Federation of North Walsham Infant and Junior Schools, we believe that an excellent arts education starts from the top. Music is heavily embedded into our strategic vision and core values; notably, our headteacher holds a degree in music. This specialised background ensures that musical excellence, high-quality teaching resources, and strong partnership provisions remain a core priority for our school community.