Music

Intent 

“Music is a great blessing. It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream. It can unite us to sing with one voice.”  

Nelson Mandela 

Music is at the heart of culture in many societies and can also be found at the heart of Woodford Valley. Music has a vital role to play in the spiritual and cultural development of children and provides a unique area for children to flourish and express themselves. Music has the power to change lives, therefore it is only natural that we should help foster a love and understanding of it in the children we teach.

At Woodford Valley, we will provide all children with a wide musical experience, both in terms of listening to a varied range of music and through creating, playing and performing music. We aim to make music an enjoyable and engaging experience for all, encouraging children to participate in a variety of musical opportunities; individually, as a class, and as a school community.  

The main aims of music teaching at Woodford Valley Primary Academy are:  

• to inspire children and build confidence;  

• to have fun experiencing and appreciating music;  

• to provide opportunities to perform;  

• to encourage creativity through instrument playing and composing;  

• to learn about how music is made and written down;  

• to explore the history of music and how time, place and purpose have influenced it. 

Implementation 

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” 

Roald Dahl – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

At Woodford Valley, pupils are invited to see themselves as musicians, developing their knowledge and expertise in musical theory, alongside exploring ways to express themselves creatively. Within our curriculum, there is scope for children to explore a wide range of music through listening, composing, performing, singing and playing instruments.  

To help us implement this, music is taught weekly by a specialist teacher, and we use a range of resources, such as Charanga and BBC Ten Pieces, as the framework for our curriculum planning. The resources used are sequenced so that the musical elements build upon prior learning and enable clear progression of skills.  

We further enrich the curriculum with a range of experiences, including visiting musicians, specialist workshops, such as drumming, and collaborative projects. We explore music within a range of contexts, for example during science week, encouraging children to identify links across their learning in other subjects, thus ensuring music is embedded within the wider curriculum.  

Singing permeates daily activities, such as lunchtime or end of the day prayers, as well as during worship as a whole school, including weekly singing assemblies. Each year we select Year 6 Music Captains, who help inspire a love of music and who assist with musical events and workshops, including leading worship in assemblies and special services. 

Personal musical achievement is celebrated not only through performance, but in our weekly celebration worship. Peripatetic teachers offer the opportunity for violin, ukulele, guitar, keyboard/piano and drum lessons and children are invited to perform during assemblies throughout the year. 

We play an active role in our music cluster, which is part of the GSW Music Hub, taking part in projects that allow us to offer additional experiences, such as watching live music, inviting experts to lead workshops, or partaking in collaborative composition projects.  

Our school calendar is punctuated by musical events taking place throughout the year, meaning performance has the space to be celebrated and developed. Weekly rehearsals with our school choir and regular rehearsals with our Year 6 band demonstrate the commitment and enjoyment of staff and pupils with regard to performance and we are privileged to welcome experienced musicians to accompany our singing for various events throughout the year. Musical highlights include our Key Stage 1 nativity, our whole school shows, the end of Year 6 show and the Year 5 Voices Inspire concert in Salisbury Cathedral.  

Impact 

“Music can change the world.”  

Ludwig Van Beethoven  

Through our specialist music teaching we will inspire children to develop a love of music that will last their whole lives. Our vision is to enable all children to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, building their self-confidence and fostering their dreams and creativity.  

All pupils have the opportunity to hear music from different times, places, cultures and genres, which will build their understanding of people, cultures and the world around them, both now and past. Our first access offering allows every child to try different instruments, giving them equal opportunity to experience the joy of playing, and inspire them for the future. 

“Music is a magic like no other, which can do incredible, unexplainable things.” 

Thomas Fletcher – The Christmasaurus