Curriculum Aims

At Yealmpstone Farm Primary School we are committed to delivering an outstanding and inclusive music curriculum that will engage and motivate all children to see the world through the eyes of young Musicians, regardless of background or ability.

We use a bespoke scheme of learning to support the teaching of music from reception to year 6. This Scheme offers an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to music learning. The interrelated dimensions of music (Listen and appraise, Singing, Playing, Improvising, Composition and Performance weave through the units covered, encouraging the development of musical skills as the learning progresses. 

Our progression-based approach to learning will facilitate secure and deeper learning, and a mastery of musical skills. ​

Intent - What are we trying to achieve?

At Yealmpstone Farm, children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening and appraising, singing, performing as a solo or ensemble and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres. We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life. We also aim to teach all children an  instrument (untuned/tuned percussion and recorders in EYFS - KS1, brass and wind in KS2) and provide the opportunity to take this further through peripatetic teaching and additional ensembles in strings, drums brass and wind instruments, We believe all children should have the opportunity to become musicians.

Implementation - How will we achieve this?

At Yealmpstone Farm Primary School we use a bespoke scheme of learning to support the teaching of music from EYFS to Year 6. This Scheme offers an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to music learning. The interrelated dimensions of music (Listening, Singing, Playing (KS1), Performing (KS2), Improvising and Composition weave through the units covered, encouraging the development of musical skills as the learning progresses.

The school wide scheme enables children to understand musical concepts through a progression-based approach to learning. At the Yealmpstone Farm Primary School we believe learning about the same musical concept through different musical activities enables a more secure, deeper learning and mastery of musical skills. Children are guided through each strand of musical learning from Reception to Upper Key Stage 2 in order for them to have the opportunity to embed deeper learning, knowledge, understanding and skills.

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Music Learning at Yealmpstone Farm is broken down into the following key elements:

• Listening

• Singing

• Playing - Pulse, Rhythm and Pitch(KS1)/ Performing - Instrumental Performance, Reading notation (KS2)

• Improvising

• Composition
   

With a particular focus on reading notation, children are taught to be proficient in the following instruments:

EYFS and  Year 1: Tuned and untuned percussion

Year 2: Recorders

Year 3: Alto clarinet

Year 4: Cornet

Year 5: Alto Saxophone

Year 6: Baritone Horn

Additional opportunities for music making are provided through joining the KS1 or KS2 choirs, YFPS orchestra, and additional Year 5 and 6 string ensembles.

Impact - What difference will this make?

At Yealmpstone Farm, children will:

• grow in confidence, developing the skills to be able to perform as a soloist and also within an ensemble

• are able to sing confidently, including harmonies, and with increasing control of expression

• are able to appraise and appreciate music from a wide range of sources

• have an appreciation and awareness of different types of musical notation

• can recognise and understand a range of musical concepts and vocabulary, for example: tempo, pitch, dynamics, pulse, texture and timbre

• have a love of music and are able to express themselves musically

Singing

At Yealmpstone Farm we are passionate about our singing and regularly perform in school and around the city.  We have weekly music assemblies for EYFS and KS1, and KS2 and apply our singing skills at a range of events such as the Young Voices concerts at London's O2 Arena, the Plymouth Big Sing as well as hosting Winter and Summer concerts for parents and families. 

Musical Tuition

At Yealmpstone Farm, every child in every year group has the opportunity to learn an instrument as part of their music lessons. We also offer additional tuition in drums, piano, guitar, strings, brass and woodwind through our team of dedicated peripatetic visiting tutors. In addition to this, we have the opportunity for our children in KS2 to join the YFPS Orchestra.