At Anthony Bek primary school, we pride ourselves on the content of our creative curriculum. Through the National Curriculum and our enrichment opportunities, we are able to offer a wide range of experiences for children from Nursery to year 6.

Foundation stage

Music tuition in the foundation stage follows the Development Matters curriculum where they respond to music, sing songs, create rhythms and compose songs.

Key stage 1 and 2

In order to deliver our curriculum, we follow the Kapow music scheme, which is linked to National Curriculum 2014. Each year group receives a comprehensive Music curriculum, which includes teaching listening, appraising, composition and notation skills.

Impact

Our music curriculum, along with the Kapow music scheme, is designed to enable all children to become musical and to develop a life-long love of music. We develop the skills, knowledge and understanding needed so that our children can become confident performers, composers and listeners. We introduce children to music from all around the world and across generations so that a respect and appreciation of music from all cultures and traditions is fostered. 

We also develop transferable skills such as team-work, leadership, creative thinking, problem solving, decision making, presentation and performance skills which can be used in a range of opportunities out of school and in later life choices.

Implementation

The Kapow music scheme takes individual strands and weaves them together to create enriching learning experiences. These strands are:

• Performing
• Listening
• Composing
• The history of Music
• The inter-related dimensions of music

The units are set within a cross-curricular topic designed to capture pupil's imagination and enthusiasm. The children will be taught to sing fluently and expressively, and play tunes and untunes percussion accurately and with control. They will also learn to recognise and name the interrelated dimensions of music - pitch, duration, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and dynamics.

The Kapow scheme is a spiral curriculum, which builds upon skills and knowledge previously taught. They progress to more complex tasks, as well as completing more simpler tasks more competently.  Lessons are differentiated allowing all children to access them and opportunities are provided to stretch pupils' learning when required.

Impact

The impact of our curriculum can be assessed and monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. There is a performance element built into each unit where the children can share their learning, skills and knowledge.

Through the Kapow curriculum, the children are expected to...

• Be confident performers, composers and listeners and will be able to express themselves musically at and beyond school
• Show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social and historical contexts in which it is developed
• Understand the ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities
• Demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal music preferences
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Music.

The year 4 curriculum is delivered throughout the year by Derbyshire Music Partnership. They teach the children musical skills, notation and terminology through the use of drumming.

Enrichment

As a school, we offer a wide range of opportunities to develop musical competence. This includes performing in various services and productions throughout the year:

• Foundation stage and Key Stage 1 nativities
• Key stage 2 spring production
• Leaver's assemblies
• Carols and Mince Pies
• Christmas Tree Festival
• Easter services
• Harvest festival
• Remembrance parade

We also have a 50 strong choir who have performed in the community, county and even in London. Every child in school has the chance to audition for the choir and take part in the amazing opportunities on offer, including Young Voices, Carols in the market place, Bolsover District talent show and they even sang at a staff wedding!