Music
When teaching music, we want our curriculum to spark children’s musical minds, allowing them to experience different genres and instruments that inspire them to find their own area of passion. Music is a running thread through our whole lives, provoking strong memories and being an important part of our emotional wellbeing. We believe that music should play an integral part in building confidence; expose children to a range of cultures; provide equal opportunity for all and allow them to express themselves without inhibition. We work to build an understanding of the structure, history and dynamics of music, but just as importantly, simply how to listen, appreciate and enjoy the magic of sound.
Music at Saltdean is taught via the specialist online resource, Charanga. This is an interactive program which is used across all year groups to allow for consistency and clear progress across Key Stage 1, 2 and beyond. The program is written by music specialists and is used across the city in the majority of Brighton and Hove Schools. Charanga is fun, immersive and exposes our children to a range of genres and styles throughout their time with us.
As well as weekly music lessons (often with our lead music teacher), children get the opportunity to learn a range of tuned and untuned instruments including Ukulele in Year 3 via our Sound Makers program, recorder in Year 4 and glockenspiel in Years 1, 2, 5 and 6.
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Our Music Curriculum |
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Our Curriculum Intent: |
We want our curriculum, in all its breadth and depth, to prepare our learners not only for the calm waters they will visit, but also for the stormy and unfamiliar experiences they will also face on their journey. We want to give them the confidence that the destination of the journey is theirs to decide, but that they can always navigate home to Saltdean, their starting point and safe haven. |
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What is a Musician? |
Saltdean Musicians… · Have a passion for creativity and self-expression, through which they can build upon confidence and presentation skills. · Have an excellent knowledge and understanding of different composers, musical genres, and important historical periods within music. · Experience, appreciate and evaluate a wide range of high quality live and recorded music. · Build and develop a perseverance mind-set, allowing them to compose, edit and reproduce musical pieces with increasing accuracy and precision. · Understand the structure and dimensions of music, recognising how layers of sound can change the feel and effect of a piece. · Are able to work collaboratively to play and perform with cohesive expression and control. · have the opportunity to experience playing a range of musical instrumental, experimenting with sound and pitch. · Demonstrate the values of Belonging, Resilience, Integrity, Consideration and Curiosity in their learning. |
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Our Music curriculum design |
Our Curriculum for Music starts in the Early Years, where the children learn a variety of well-known nurseries rhymes, incorporating clapping patterns and movement to the music. They begin to explore and play a range of instruments form around the world.
In Key Stage 1, children begin to experiment with and create sound, using tuned and untuned percussion (Drums, glockenspiels). They begin to develop the use of their voices in an expressive way, singing songs with a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and social themes. Children have the opportunity to perform to an audience and also have exposure to a range of high quality music, both live and recorded.
As the children enter lower Key Stage 2, they are taught to listen to and recall sounds with increasing aural memory. They are able to perform vocally and instrumentally as a solo performer, in small groups and as a whole class ensemble, with increasing accuracy, fluency, and expression. Our musicians begin to learn a wider range of tuned instruments including recorders, improvising, composing and performing final pieces.
Upon entering upper Key Stage 2, children develop a greater knowledge and understanding of music through the ages, looking at a wide range of great composers and cultures, thinking about how music improves our world. Exposure to a range of musical vocabulary and an increased understanding of how to use musical staff and notation (using technology) gives further opportunity for children to independently compose their own work.
Throughout the school, children also have access to various musical enrichment activities including choir, weekly singing assemblies (where a famous artist, group or genre is the focus of each half term to maximise musical exposure) and various peripatetic lessons including harmonica, guitar, keyboard, drums and vocals. |
Our Music Voyage
Our Curriculum overviews and Saltdean Music Journey can be viewed at the bottom of this page.
Extra Curricular Music Clubs and Opportunities
Choir
Choir is open to all Key Stage 2 students and is run by our Music lead, Mrs Evans. This operates in Autumn and Summer Terms at lunchtime. During the autumn term, children prepare for the Brighton Centre, which is a fabulous city-wide Christmas concert that takes place annually. In summer term, choir is more relaxed and children can contribute ideas for songs that they would like to learn. All abilities are welcomed and the focus is on fun and performance skills.
Contact Mrs Evans: enq@saltdean.brighton-hove.sch.uk
Scott Clarke Music
Scott is one of our fabulous external providers who has been working with Saltdean students since 2018. He is a multi-instrumentalist teacher with over 20 years of experience. With Scott, children chose to learn guitar, drums, keyboard or vocals. Group and 1:1 sessions are available, as well as the opportunity for examinations and grade progression where relevant.
Contact Scott: scottclarkemusic@gmail.com
Harp Academy Harmonica
Harp Academy have been working with us since early 2021, focussing mainly with our Key Stage 1 children. Sessions are 30 minutes on a weekly basis, with a maximum of 8 children. These groups involve fun warm ups, instrumental skills and performance. All children get a starter harmonica as part of their group, allowing for practise at home and quicker progression.
Contact Richard: www.harpacademy.com
Rhythm Masters
Rhythm Masters is one of our new music provisions, available mainly to our key Stage 2 students. Children have an exciting opportunity to learn to rap, sing, drum and beatbox. Each term there are new songs, raps and rhythms to learn. Pupils also all get to make music with ‘Rhythm Master Microphones’ and a wide range of percussion and drums, adding to musical knowledge as well as confidence and creativity.
Contact Ollie: ollieheath.com/saltdean
Progression_of_Knowledge_and_Skills_Lower_School.docx
