Music
Music at Alexander Hosea
Intent
At Alexander Hosea we aspire for our children to have opportunities to develop their creativity and enjoyment, personal expression and reflection alongside the subject-specific knowledge and skills of our music curriculum.
The key aims of the curriculum are to develop:
- Performing skills by controlling sounds through singing and playing musical instruments.
- Composing skills through creating and developing musical ideas.
- Appraising skills through developing active listening skills, reviewing and responding to music across a range of styles and eras.
- Musicianship and knowledge of simple musical notation.
Alongside these aims, there is a focus on gaining awareness of different composers through history as well as broadening awareness of different cultures through music.
During their time at school, all children will have the opportunity to perform for an audience at regular intervals and to have access to a range of different instruments, including the chance to have individual, small group or whole class tuition from a specialist via the Integra Music Hub in South Gloucestershire.
Implementation
At Alexander Hosea we use Charanga Music Programme as the basis for our music offer. This is a scheme of work that is planned by music specialists with clear progression, high quality resources and subject knowledge support for non-specialists. From this, each year group delivers 3 units across the year – with a variety of foci and providing a range of experiences in singing; composition; active listening; musicianship and performance.
Charanga Yearly Overview 2025-26
|
|
Autumn |
Spring |
Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
Reception |
Me! |
Our World |
Big Bear Funk |
Year 1 |
Hey you Genre: Old school hip-hop |
Your Imagination Genre: pop - show, TV and movie tunes |
In the Groove Genre: Blues, Baroque, Latin, Bhangra, Folk and Funk |
Year 2 |
I Wanna Play in a Band Genre: Rock |
Hands, Feet and Heart Genre: Afro-pop |
Friendship Song Genre: Pop |
|
Year 3 |
Bringing us Together Genre: Disco |
No Charanga - Ukulele lessons |
Dragon Song Genre: Music from around the world |
|
Year 4 |
Blackbird Genre: Pop |
No Charanga - Djembe drumming lessons |
Lean on Me Genre: Soul and Gospel music |
|
Year 5 |
Dancing in the Street Genre: Motown |
Make you feel my love Genre: Pop Ballads |
No Charanga - Djembe drumming lessons |
|
Year 6 |
Music and me -women in the music industry Genre: Hip Hop, Classical, Electronic, Soul and Contemporary |
Happy Genre: Neo-soul/Pop |
No Charanga - Junior Sax lessons |
Lessons are delivered by teachers following the Charanga Programme, adapting where necessary to make lessons inclusive.
All children in KS2 have the opportunity to engage with 10-week musical instrument tuition. In the past this has been funded or partially funded by Friends of AHS and Wickwar Education Foundation.
As well as using the Charanga Programme, teachers plan wider musical experiences, including regular opportunities perform with and to different audiences such as:
- Christmas Service for parents at Trinity Church, Wickwar – Y5/6
- Christmas performances to parents R- Y4
- Summer production for parents – Y6
- Singing for wider parental group at the Friends or AHS annual Christmas coffee morning.
- Performing to parents at the end of the 10-week block of instrument teaching from Integra Music Service – KS2.
- Opportunities through mini outcomes or end of project outcomes to share learning with parents.
- Participation in Cotswold Alliance Orchestra with other children from local schools.
- Performing at Clifton Cathedral at Christmas Carol Concert – Y5/6.
- Weekly singing assembly.
We have an active and very well-attended choir, which takes part in a large-scale performance at Birmingham Young Voices each year. This is the highlight of the music calendar for the participants. In 2024/25 over 60% of our year 5 and 6 children took part in the school choir.
In addition, we offer extra-curricular opportunities for music, including:
- Keyboard and guitar peripatetic lessons with Integra Music Service
- Singing peripatetic lessons with West of England Music Service
- Sea Shanty visitors – Y1
- Dance and Drama club – external provider
Staff professional development is supported through staff meetings.
Impact
Pupils have a rich curriculum offer to support their creativity and enjoyment.
Pupils have responded very positively to the Integra instrument tuition; learning new skills and enjoying the challenge of learning an instrument for the first time. In recent pupil conferencing, a Y4 child said that the 10-week instrument programme was inspiring and was ‘an experience (they) will remember forever’.
There is a very good take up for keyboard and guitar lessons and children respond well to the high-quality provision. We have recently added an extra afternoon of provision due to high demand. In 2024/25, 22% of our KS2 children participated.
Participants in the Young Voices event comment that it is uplifting to be part of a large-scale choir, singing as one voice with thousands of other primary school children in a large arena (NEC Birmingham).