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 to 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 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 2022-23

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Reception	Me!	Our World	Big Bear Funk
Year 1	In the Groove	Your Imagination	Reflect, Rewind and Replay
Year 2	I Wanna Play in a Band	Zootime	Friendship Song
Year 3	Glockenspiel Stage 1	The Dragon Song	Bringing Us Together
Year 4	Mama Mia	Stop!	Lean on Me
Year 5	Livin’ on a Prayer	Classroom Jazz 1	The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Year 6	A New Year Carol	You’ve Got a Friend	Happy

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 2022-23 Y3 – djembe drumming; Y4 – ukulele; Y5 – cello and Y6 junior saxophone. 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 addition, we offer extra-curricular opportunities for music, including:

• Keyboard and guitar peripatetic lessons with Integra Music Service.
• iRock band – KS2
• Recorders – KS1
• Sea Shanty visitors – Y1
• Dance and Drama club – external provider
• Chinese New Year music & dance workshop Infants

The school funds some places for children (in receipt of free school meals) on extra-curricular activities (including Young Voices event, peripatetic instrument tuition, iRock and dance & drama) to open doors to wider provision.

Staff professional development is supported through staff meetings and guidance from Integra Music Service.

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.

iRock is well attended and the children enjoy the opportunity to sing and play instruments to up-to-date rock and pop music.

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).

 

Music Concerts

The Y5 children have been learning to play the cello for 10 weeks as part of the Integra Music Service provision. This was paid for jointly by the Friends of AHS and using school fund. We were very proud of the children for playing so well and making the most of this opportunity.

 

Y6 also performed to their families. They have been learning the junior saxophone, which they have really enjoyed.