Music Curriculum Overview 

Intent

At Moreland Primary School, our music curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong appreciation and enthusiasm for music. We aim to:

• Foster a lifelong love of music by engaging children in active listening, performing, composing, and appraising.

• Develop creativity and self-expression through musical exploration.

• Ensure all pupils have equal access to high-quality music education.

• Integrate music into our culturally rich curriculum, provide opportunities for pupils to explore a diverse range of musical genres, traditions, and cultures

• Support pupils in developing technical skills in rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and notation,

• Provide opportunities for children to learn an instrument and perform regularly.

• Enable all pupils to find their musical voice and feel confident as performers, creators, and critical listeners.

• Utilise London's vibrant musical landscape to enrich learning experiences.

This aligns with our broader curriculum goals of building aspiration, developing effective learning characteristics, and nourishing creativity.

Implementation

To realise our intent, we implement the music curriculum through:

• Music Curriculum Map: Ensures progression of knowledge and skills in performing, composing, listening, and appraising.

• Weekly Music Lessons: Dedicated sessions where students engage in singing, playing instruments, and composing music.

• Music Appreciation Lessons: Pupils explore a wide range of musical styles, composers, and traditions—from classical to jazz, world music to modern genres—developing knowledge of musical context and cultural diversity.

• Instrumental Learning: All children in KS2 have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, with regular practice and progression.

• Performance Opportunities: Regular school performances, assemblies, and community events to showcase students' musical development.

• Singing Assemblies and Choir: Encourage vocal confidence and enjoyment, often linked to school events and celebrations

• Cultural Capital: Regular visits to prestigious music venues to hear live performances and opportunities to work with and hear performances from professional musicians, including projects with the Musicians Company.

• Use of Technology: Incorporating music technology to support composition and understanding of music production.

Impact

The impact of our music curriculum is evident in:

• Enhanced Musical Skills: Students develop proficiency in playing instruments, understanding musical notation, and composing.

• Increased Confidence: Regular performances build self-esteem and public speaking skills.

• Cultural Appreciation: Exposure to diverse musical traditions fosters respect and understanding of different cultures.

• Academic Achievement: Music education supports development in areas such as mathematics, language, and memory.

• Emotional Well-being: Engagement in music promotes mental health and emotional expression.

Through these outcomes, students leave Moreland Primary School with a strong foundation in music and a lasting appreciation for the arts.

Music at Moreland

The music curriculum at Moreland Primary School aims to provide our students with the necessary skills to develop into well-rounded musicians throughout their primary education. Following the National Curriculum for music children will perform, compose, improvise and appraise music of a wide variety of genres and styles. They will learn to use their voices expressively and confidently as well as having the opportunity to play a range of different musical instruments. In addition, students will develop their knowledge of musical elements and learn about the creation, production and communication of various forms of music.

We are committed to delivering an exciting and stimulating music curriculum that is inclusive and fosters creativity and individuality. We believe that music can engage and excite children; stimulating imagination and inspiring creativity.  We have a specialist music teacher to facilitate this and we work with outside agencies to bring experiences and opportunities to the children to deepen their understanding and skills and build aspiration through exposing children to careers and opportunities in music and the arts.

EYFS

In the EYFS children are introduced to music in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Children have opportunities to explore music in child initiated play, have free access to a range of instruments, learn a range of songs and rhymes and have opportunities to perform in the classroom and outdoor environment. In addition all children from 0-5 receive a weekly lesson with a specialist music teacher. In Nursery and Reception children are taught using the Jolly Music scheme. Through a repertoire of playground rhymes and songs, children learn to identify musical elements such as pulse, rhythm, pitch, loudness and speed. This learning is reinforced through physical actions, creative activities and musical games  Children build a repertoire of songs and rhymes, explore the sound of instruments, follow and create rhythms and move rhythmically to music. 

KS1

In KS1 teaching continues to follow the Jolly Music scheme. The lessons are structured to build key musical skills like listening, singing in tune, developing inner hearing, and ultimately reading and writing music. Over the school year children are provided with experience in each of the 4 skills of the National Curriculum for Music: Use their voices expressively and creatively; play tuned and un-tuned instruments musically; listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music; experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music. Progression should be seen in developing skills across the year as children learn new skills and then apply them independently. 

KS2

In Year 4 and 5 children  learn keyboards with a specialist teacher. In Year 6 they learn to use music technology to compose and perform. Children in Key Stage 2 also follow the Kapow music scheme. Over the year children are provided with experience in each of the 6 areas of the National Curriculum for Music: to play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression; to improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music; to listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory; use and understand staff and other musical notations; to appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians; to develop an understanding of the history of music. Progression should be seen in developing skills across the year as children learn new skills and then apply them independently, culminating (where possible) in a performance.

Throughout their primary education, students will be exposed to music of various genres, styles and traditions and will develop their appraising and critical listening skills. This forms part of music lessons and music appreciation assemblies. All teaching is underpinned by the elements of music that are essential in building a foundation for the many areas of our students’ musical development.

The progression of skills for each year group is laid out in the Music Knowledge and Skills Progression Map.

Performance at Moreland

Children are given opportunities to take part in performances of music, drama and dance throughout the year. Please see below for a taste of some previous performances.

Choir Performances

Performing for Her Majesty the Queen (Rehearsal) 

 

Mayor of Islington Charity Concert 

 

 

Spring Concerts

 

Nativity Play

 

 Year 6 End of Year Shows