Music
Music at Thomas Whitehead CE Academy is inclusive of every child in the school, from Pre-School up to and including Year 6.
Every child will follow the journey that takes them from joining in singing songs to learning to play a variety of Musical Instruments. Music will cover and help to improve so many different skills like reading, language skills, listening, hand/eye coordination, confidence building, pronunciation and diction as well as helping to improve our mental health and wellbeing. The ethos behind the subject is that children should ENJOY music and give every child the opportunity to shine in a less academically challenging subject. Our school gives EVERY child the opportunity to learn to read and play music and to be able to participate in performances and productions both in and out of school.
Every child will follow the journey that takes them from joining in singing songs to learning to play a variety of Musical Instruments. Music will cover and help to improve so many different skills like reading, language skills, listening, hand/eye coordination, confidence building, pronunciation and diction as well as helping to improve our mental health and wellbeing. The ethos behind the subject is that children should ENJOY music and give every child the opportunity to shine in a less academically challenging subject. Our school gives EVERY child the opportunity to learn to read and play music and to be able to participate in performances and productions both in and out of school.
History of Music
At Thomas Whitehead we cover the History of Music in a unique and fun way. Every month, we introduce a ‘Composer of the Month’. Each Composer can be of any particular genre of music, from the Classical period through to modern day music. They are introduced in Worship at the beginning of each month. I talk to the whole school, briefly, about that composer and at the back of the hall, on the music display board, there is information about and a photograph of that composer. Every child will hear different music by that composer as they come in and out of Worship, in school or at Church.
I also set different little tasks each week so that the children are encouraged to go and read what is on the display board. Children also go home and research more information about that composer as is evident from their written answers. Children then come to me with the information they have gathered and they are awarded Dojo’s if they have tried hard or indeed get the correct information. I always mention those children each week in Hymn Practice so that they feel positive about what they have achieved.
This means that every child is exposed to music from a wide variety of era’s whilst still being able to use their class lessons to learn to read and play music through performance and class ensemble work. This not only enhances their musical knowledge but also has many cross-curricular links with maths, English etc.
It is also specifically important and relevant to our children as they are given access to learn a variety of musical instruments which they may not be able to access out of school. It also gives them the opportunity to choose music as an option in their upper schools if they wish to pursue the subject more academically.
We also sing a wide variety of different composer’s music in our various Choir rehearsals and performances.
At Thomas Whitehead we cover the History of Music in a unique and fun way. Every month, we introduce a ‘Composer of the Month’. Each Composer can be of any particular genre of music, from the Classical period through to modern day music. They are introduced in Worship at the beginning of each month. I talk to the whole school, briefly, about that composer and at the back of the hall, on the music display board, there is information about and a photograph of that composer. Every child will hear different music by that composer as they come in and out of Worship, in school or at Church.
I also set different little tasks each week so that the children are encouraged to go and read what is on the display board. Children also go home and research more information about that composer as is evident from their written answers. Children then come to me with the information they have gathered and they are awarded Dojo’s if they have tried hard or indeed get the correct information. I always mention those children each week in Hymn Practice so that they feel positive about what they have achieved.
This means that every child is exposed to music from a wide variety of era’s whilst still being able to use their class lessons to learn to read and play music through performance and class ensemble work. This not only enhances their musical knowledge but also has many cross-curricular links with maths, English etc.
It is also specifically important and relevant to our children as they are given access to learn a variety of musical instruments which they may not be able to access out of school. It also gives them the opportunity to choose music as an option in their upper schools if they wish to pursue the subject more academically.
We also sing a wide variety of different composer’s music in our various Choir rehearsals and performances.
| Music progression map 2020-2021 |
