At Shoreham Village School we want to expose pupils to wider cultural and musical experiences.   Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity.  We provide a high quality music education that engages and inspires pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increases their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.  We will inspire our pupils to enjoy creating and appreciating music in its many forms.

The curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Pupils begin their Music journey with us during the Early Years Foundation Stage and the starting point of our curriculum design includes the area for learning development of ‘Expressive arts and Design’.  The curriculum we deliver in Reception lays the foundations for the learning that will take place in subsequent years.   

The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage can be found here

The Programme of Study for Music for Years 1 to 6 can be found here

Performing opportunities within school
Pupil performances show the direct positive impact that music lessons have on their learning, as it gives all pupils an opportunity to shine. There is weekly singing in assembly where pupils sing a wide range of songs, listen to diverse music and pupils have the opportunity to perform instrumental solos at the beginning and the end of the assembly. There are Music concerts in December and March, where pupils have the opportunity to perform as a soloist, in a group or as a class. All pupils who learn an instrument are encouraged to perform in these concerts as a showcase of their amazing musical talents. There are many opportunities for pupils to perform, such as class assemblies, Harvest Festival, Christmas Concert, Spring Concert, Music Recitals and end of year shows.

Enrichment
Singing
We have a Glee Club meeting at lunchtime one day a week when we sing a diverse range of music (mostly chosen by the pupils).  The club is open to any pupil who wants to sing that week for the love of making music together. They perform in school assemblies.
We also have a group of pupils who prepare for the Young Voices performance and who commit to the weekly rehearsals required to be ready for the concert This provides a wonderful opportunity for pupils to expand their musical experiences and skills, singing ‘on stage’ at the O2 alongside numerous other pupils from schools around the country and with professional musicians and dancers. 

Ukulele Club
A small group of pupils are invited to join Ukulele Club, provided by our peripatetic guitar teacher and funded by the school.  These are pupils who have expressed an interest in joining the club and who will be committed to the weekly sessions.

Instrumental Music lessons
Learning to play a musical instrument provides children with an experience that enriches their lives in so many ways and children will learn musical skills that help develop a deep love of music. All pupils learn to play the ocarina in Years 1 and 2, the ukulele in Years 3 and 4 and the glockenspiel and recorder in Years 5 and 6.
Additionally, all pupils are invited to learn to play an instrument with a peripatetic teacher.  Currently we have pupils learning guitar and keyboards with a teacher from ‘We Teach Music’.