Stanningley Primary School

 

At Stanningley Primary, we make music an enjoyable learning experience. Our inclusive, practical approach to teaching, led by a specialist Music teacher, focuses on developing the childrens’ ability to use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes, through which they learn about the structure and organisation of music. Basic rhythm is taught from an early age as a scaffold for every piece of music the children learn. As the pupils move up the school, they are taught more formal notation and every pupil will have recorder and ukulele lessons in Key Stage 2. Ensemble work is taught in all year groups and the children gain confidence through working with others to compose and perform, in class and assemblies, using a variety of instruments. Pupils are encouraged to assess and improve their performances through positive evaluation and practice. They listen to and talk about music from different traditions and from great composers and musicians. We teach and perfect the skills implemented by the National Curriculum for Music. We see music as a practical subject and evidence is collected by taking photos and short videos of the pupils’ work. We want to enrich our pupils’ experiences as much as possible and we aim to provide opportunities for children to take part in, or watch, live musical performances whenever we can. This may be by taking part in charity funded projects or concert trips. We are creating links with Horsforth Music Centre to encourage parents to use their services on Saturday mornings, where pupils can access instrumental lessons at a reduced cost. All pupils in Key Stage 2 are encouraged to join our school choir and they perform in school assemblies and concerts or within our local community.