Curriculum Aims
Wisdom – Our children will have the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that show how music is created, produced and communicated.
Independence – Our children will develop a love of music and explore their talents as musicians.
Creativity – Through music, our children will be able to critically engage with music. The opportunities provided will increase engagement, inspire children and allow children to progress to the next level of musical excellence.
Kindness – Our children will understand music across a range of historical periods, genres, cultures, styles and traditions including the works of great composers and musicians.
Progression and Curriculum Documents
‘The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school.’ – The Model Music Curriculum 2021
EY and Key Stage 1
Music is planned with cross-curricular links where possible with Music Express being used to supplement and provide extra support and resources to enhance music teaching. The essence of Music Express is to create a topic-based, cross-curricular approach to support children’s learning in music and across other subjects through music. A steady progression plan has been built into Music Express, both within each year and from one year to the next, ensuring consistent musical development. In Early Years, alongside the use of Music Express, Music is incorporated in a wide range of activities relating to the following areas of learning:
- Communication and Language
- Physical Development
- Expressive Arts and Design
Key Stage 2
We are very fortunate to benefit from the musical skills and expertise of a specialist Music teacher who visits our Key Stage 2 classes once a week. In Music lessons, pupils explore how musical techniques and skills can be nurtured and developed and all pupils have a chance to read and create musical notation in many forms, play instruments and sing together. At Newick we excel in singing in harmony, ensuring this a skill that we regularly practise and develop. Our Music teacher follows the Model Music Curriculum and also works with class teachers to ensure any opportunities for linking Music to current topics are taken advantage of. Our Music provision in Key Stage 2 also includes whole class teaching of recorder and the use of computer software to further broaden pupils’ access to this subject.
Music Appreciation
Following the 2021 Model Music Curriculum, at Newick we ensure all of our children gain a broad aural knowledge of Western Classical Music, Popular Music (defined broadly) and Traditional Music from around the world. Children are exposed to a broad range of carefully selected Music in assemblies and along side History and Geography topics. At Newick we also love to meet as a whole school for singing assemblies and sing a variety of seasonal, popular and meaningful hymns and songs together with piano accompaniment. Our young musicians also regularly perform in assemblies celebrating their progress and recruiting budding new musicians!
Clubs
Newick proudly offers a variety of Musical Clubs and private lessons through Create Music (ESMS) including Keyboard, Recorder, Saxophone, Guitar and Cello. We also have a school choir and a growing orchestra with our Key Stage 2 musicians. Some of our pupils receive fully funded 1:1 Music tuition in order to support all children reaching their potential.
To increase the variety of our Music offer here at Newick, we have also secured lessons for our pupils with the Red Butler Music School. Teachers specialise in Ukelele and Drums. To books lessons visit createmusic.org.uk/for-children-and-young-people/lessons-at-school or email the Newick School office for Red Butler Music School lessons. If you are in receipt of pupil premium, please do get in touch!
