Music

Latest news

Congratulations to everyone who took part in our Easter end of term show.  We were delighted to see the whole school, choir and individuals perform.  

Previous Recent Events:

Thank you to all of our talented musicians who performed so brilliantly at our school autumn term end of term events.

An extra thank you to our Sandon Singing Swans who were invited to the Rushden Village Christmas service and delighted everyone with their Christmas songs.  Here are some of the comments we have received:

'So lovely to meet all of you and your families tonight! Thank you so much for singing in our service. I actually can’t choose a favourite song that you sang: they were all so different.' (Kāren (Rushden Church Warden))

'It was wonderful! Thank you for your hard work.  We were so delighted to welcome the Swans, please come again whenever you'd like an outing!' (Reverend Sarah Richardson, Rector of The Kingswood Benefice.)

'They all sounded amazing.  I have received so many lovely comments from people I know in the village.  Everyone was so delighted to have them there' (Mrs Flemming (Governor and parent)).

What a fantastic 2023 we have had musically! Our children have performed at so many different venues. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow in confidence.  

Baldock Fair	Sandon Village Fair

Music Curriculum at Sandon School

Music is a unique way of communicating, that can inspire and motivate children. Music reflects the culture and society we live in and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world they live in.

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. A quality music education should engage and inspire children to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.

Intent
At Sandon JMI School, children gain a firm understanding of music through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres.

We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed.

Implementation

Our curriculum is based on the ‘Charanga’ scheme which has been adapted to create our own Sandon Scheme of Work.  Our whole school scheme incorporates additional resources together with professional subject knowledge which ensures that children are involved in activities that develop their skills of listening, singing, playing, performing, analysing, evaluating and composing. They also have the opportunity to develop an understanding of musical terms and notation.

The Sandon School Curriculum Coverage enables children to understand musical concepts through a repetition-based approach to learning. We believe that learning about the same musical concept through different musical activities enables a more secure, deeper learning and mastery of musical skills (Children know more and remember more). The strands of musical learning are part of the learning spiral. Over time, children can both develop new musical skills and concepts, and re-visit established skills and concepts. Mastery means both a deeper understanding of musical skills and concepts as well as learning something new.

In our music teaching at Sandon JMI School:

• We ensure that children are introduced to a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres 
• We plan for children’s musical progression of knowledge and skills across the school
  starting with EYFS where we have daily singing and rhyme sessions. Within these sessions, the children learn core rhymes, raps and poems. This equips children with the musical foundations ready for KS1
• We encourage children to express their feelings and emotions through music
• Children work collaboratively and perform in class, within assemblies, in instrument bands and choir
• Children come together for musical collective practises with two assemblies per week.  Both assemblies involve the interweaving of the inter-related dimension of music.  Our assemblies include:
  i) A whole school singing assembly - an opportunity to come together, sing and enjoy music as a whole school
  ii) A KS1 & 2 assembly – Where we explore particular topics including the history of classical music and other genres, listening, appraising, experimenting with musical instruments and of course performing.  Children who learn a musical instrument are encouraged to demonstrate new talents.  This is also an opportunity for children to listen to music as well as acknowledge and respect the opinions of others.
• Get Playing Project 2023 - This term we are excited to be a part of the Hertfordshire Music Service's 'Get Playing Project'.  This is a national campaign to ensure more children have access to playing different musical instruments.  Our children will be able experience one of the following instruments: Bassoon, Flue and Saxophone. 
• Competitions -  In the summer of 2022 our children entered into a Young Composer Competition.  The idea was a suggestion made by one of our pupils who wanted to be added to our Classical Music History Timeline.  All those who entered were very creative.  The winning entries have been added to our hall timeline as an inspiration to others to experiment with composition.  Due to the success of last year's event we will be repeating this year.
  March 2023: Choir competition - design a name and logo (see above).  The children asked to create their own name for the choir - the winning entry will be shared shortly.
• We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community.  We participate in local events playing musical instruments or singing.  We have performed at the local Jubilee Celebration, Sandon Village Fete and Baldock Festival. We also come together as a community to perform in the local church for events including: Harvest Festival, Remembrance and Nativity. Christmas is a time to come together and we welcome the local community to visit us and witness our love of singing. We also encourage the opportunity to sing with others schools and this term, our choir performed at the O2 alongside many other schools.
• Visiting Musicians: We have had the opportunity to learn about operatic music through the Baldock Arts Council and also played alongside a local ukulele orchestra (Laluke) which went so well in July that we got together again for a Christmas playathon.  June 2023 we had a whole school music and dance workshop delivered by Urban Strides.
• We work collaboratively with music providers such as Hertfordshire Music Service
• We are delighted to have been accepted as a Music Mark school. This National Music Mark has been awarded based on our commitment to music education.
• We understand the importance of musical therapy for children with additional needs and to support emotional wellbeing. 

 Assessment:

Please follow this link for the Music assessment information

Whole School Curriculum Overview (2 Year Rolling Programme).  This year we are on B Year.

Curriculum coverage document

Learning progression:

learning progression diagram.png

The diagram above depicts the depth of learning that occurs as the children move through the year groups. As they progress, the colour deepens and the learning widens.

A guide to musical vocabulary: keywords and vocabulary document