How we teach music at The Round House: 

The school uses a variety of different teaching and learning styles in music lessons and within ICE Zone sessions. Our principal aim is to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in music and we use a variety of teaching and learning styles in order to achieve this. The use of the ICE Zone learning within KS1 and LKS2 gives children a rich learning environment, in which they are immersed within the topic that they are studying. This in turn creates a love of learning within the children. Combining this with whole class teaching in years 5 and 6, we believe that our school provides children with a broad range of learning opportunities throughout their primary education.   

Our music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments, and the opportunity to join private group lessons and after school clubs. The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons and ICE Zones so that children are able to use  the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analysed.  Students can learn how to play an instrument- ocarina, recorder, percussion and/or keyboards, which in doing so, which help them understand the different principles of creating notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose focussing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.  

We believe children learn best when:  

• They are provided with opportunities to work independently or collaboratively.  

• They are encouraged to ask as well as answer music-based questions.  

• They are able to explore creatively using different instruments and resources.  

• They have access to sources such a books, CDs and live concerts.  

• They are shown methods and techniques to implement into their music work.   

• They are able to use non-fiction books, internet and videos for research.  

We recognise the fact that we have a wide range of children within our classes, and so we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by offering a variety of different classroom and ICE Zone activities for pupils with KS1 and LKS2, as well as providing differentiated work within years 5 and 6.   

Additional music teaching  

Children are offered the opportunity to study a musical instrument which is provided by Pop Start, a local business music tuition group. Parents who want their children to participate in the scheme pay the additional music lesson fees on a termly basis. These lessons are normally taught to small groups of children who have chosen to learn one of a variety of instruments, including drums, guitar, and keyboards, or vocals. This is in addition to the normal music teaching of the school, but usually takes place during curriculum time.  

The role of the teacher should include:  

Providing children with both taught music lessons and the opportunity to explore through more independent activities is, we believe, integral to the teaching of music. Taught music lessons will encourage pupils to engage in class discussions, where children are given the opportunity to ask and answer music questions.   

ICE Zone music activities will often be carried out by children after having had an initial teacher-input, which gives pupils the opportunity to work independently to demonstrate their understanding of a topic and to explore this further. The children enjoy the opportunity to carry out independent learning, asking and answering questions linking to specific topics. Teachers and teaching assistants in classrooms and the ICE Zones are clear with the expectations of work within music sessions and this is explicitly taught to all pupils through modelling and discussion.   

Specific success criteria that link to aspects of required learning are used within each activity to help children when completing activities.  

Teachers will make sure that:   

• access to resources will allow children to make choices about their own work   

• children are given the opportunity to discuss existing pieces of music, as well and create new ones  

• examples of existing pieces of work by famous musicians are used in exploration stage to engage children and foster an understanding of the larger cultural context of music and its historical significance   

• resources provided will support the variety of abilities and needs  

• children are given opportunities to evaluate their work and the work of their peers.  

Although we use the Kapow scheme as a basis for our art and design planning, we make it our own and are confident that what we do is the best for our children. With the termly topics operating on a two-year cycle in Year 1-4, all national curriculum objectives will be covered at the end of the cycle. 

Teaching within EYFS:  

Within the EYFS, music falls within Expressive Arts and Design. At The Round House, children's creativity is extended by the provision of support for their curiosity, exploration and play. Staff develop a child's imagination, creativity and their ability to use a range of media and materials. Children are provided with opportunities to explore and share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of art, music, songs, movement, dance, imaginative and role-play activities. All of these approaches to expressive arts, help children to represent and understand their own feelings and ideas.