Art

Computing

DT

English

French	Geography	History
Maths	Music	PE
PSHE	RE	Science

Intent

"Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children's education." Yo-Yo Ma

Lethbridge has a long tradition of encouraging a love of music through opportunities to sing, play, create and perform. From the youngest children in the Foundation Stage to Year 6 pupils about to move on to secondary school, there are many ways for every child to take part in and enjoy music.

We want every pupil to build their musical skills, knowledge, experience and confidence as they move through the school. Pupils learn about the musical elements of pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and structure, and use them to listen, compose and perform with increasing skill.

Our curriculum is inclusive and representative of music from around the world. Every child, including those with additional needs, takes a full part, and pupils hear, play and learn about the music, artists and instruments of many cultures.

Music is part of every child's journey through school: Firm Foundations, Bright Futures.

A Lead School for Music

Lethbridge is a designated Lead School for Music for Swindon. We were appointed through a rigorous process led by the Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire (GSW) Music Hub.

The designation recognises:

• our dedication to inclusive music teaching, so that children with additional needs are successfully included, with adaptations in place to reduce barriers
  
  
• our commitment to a music curriculum that represents music, artists and instruments from all over the world.

As a Lead School, we share our practice in inclusive music-making and extra-curricular music with other schools in the area.

How music grows through the school

Phase	What pupils learn	Highlights
Foundation Stage	Children use instruments every day as part of child-initiated learning. Music activities are often based on a story or linked to other learning, such as creating a dragon dance for Chinese New Year. Singing is part of every day, with songs for phonics, maths, lining up and actions: a song for every occasion.	The Christmas play, full of songs with engaging melodies
Key Stage 1	Pupils explore the musical elements through topic songs, improvising and composing. They respond to music, often from the BBC Ten Pieces, use graphic and grid notation, and are introduced to GarageBand.	The KS1 Christmas performance, where children sing, dance and act with confidence; regular singing assemblies
Key Stage 2	Pupils evaluate their own and others' work, suggest improvements and extend their compositions by considering how musical elements create intended effects. Notation progresses to stick notation, simple standard rhythmic notation and simple staff notation. Pupils explore and create music with GarageBand.	The KS2 Christmas carol service at Christ Church; the Year 4 production in Term 4; the Year 6 production in Term 6, with chances to perform solos or in groups; regular singing assemblies

How we teach music

• A sequenced curriculum. Our lessons are based on the Kapow Primary music scheme, which covers the full national curriculum and builds skills in singing, listening, composing, performing and notation year by year.
  
  
• Whole-class instrumental teaching. Pupils start by learning untuned percussion, then move on to tuned percussion. Every pupil learns the guitar in Year 5.
  
  
• Singing. Singing is at the heart of school life, from daily songs in the Foundation Stage to regular singing assemblies in Key Stages 1 and 2.
  
  
• Music from around the world. Pupils learn about music from many cultures and traditions, through units such as Inspired by India, Sounds of China, West African rhythms, Samba, Bhangra and Reggae.
  
  
• Listening and appraising. Pupils listen to a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music, including the BBC Ten Pieces, and learn to describe it using musical vocabulary.
  
  
• Music technology. Pupils compose and record their own music using GarageBand.
  
  
• Vocabulary. Musical vocabulary from the Kapow vocabulary progression, such as pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics and tempo, is taught explicitly and used throughout.

Performing beyond the classroom

Pupils have many opportunities to perform to a wider audience.

• Swindon Music Service concerts for all ages, including the Make A Noise Festival at The Platform, and the Infant Voice Festival and Junior Voice Festival at the Wyvern Theatre.
  
  
• Invitations for Year 6 pupils to dress rehearsals of concerts at the local secondary school.
  
  
• Instrumental lessons with visiting teachers during the school day for Key Stage 2 pupils in piano, flute, clarinet, guitar, brass and violin, with violin also open to Year 2. These are provided by Swindon Music Co-operative, which invoices parents directly. Information is available from the school office.

Inclusion

Inclusion is at the centre of our music provision and is a key reason for our Lead School designation.

• Teachers adapt how music is taught, not what is taught, so that barriers are reduced and every child can take part fully.
  
  
• Adapted instruments, visual supports and flexible ways of taking part mean that every child can sing, play, create and perform.
  
  
• Whole-class instrumental teaching, including guitar in Year 5, gives every pupil the chance to learn an instrument, whatever their background.
  
  
• Our curriculum celebrates music, artists and instruments from all over the world, so every child can see their own and others' cultures represented.

Assessment and impact

We measure impact by what pupils know, can do and choose to do in music.

• During lessons: teachers listen, watch and question as pupils sing, play and compose, and adjust teaching straight away.
  
  
• Performances and recordings: these show how pupils' skills and confidence develop over time.
  
  
• Pupil voice: pupils talk about the music they have listened to, played and created, using musical vocabulary.
  
  
• Subject leadership: the music lead visits lessons, listens to performances and uses what they find to refine the curriculum and support staff.

By the end of Year 6, pupils will be able to sing and play with confidence, compose and improvise using the musical elements, read simple notation and talk knowledgeably about music from many times and places. Above all, we want them to leave us with a lifelong love of music.