The music curriculum at ALP trust is designed to equip pupils with knowledge and skills of music from western classical tradition, popular music from the 20th Century, world music and commercial music.  Our learners are encouraged to be ‘Cultural Explorers’, encouraging their enthusiasm for the musical arts and  providing an immersive musical experience for all pupils.

All pupils will become valued members of the musical culture in the ALP as both instrumentalists, performers, composers and appreciators of music. The music curriculum focuses on performing, composing, listening and appraising music.  The pupils will also look at significant musical figures throughout the musical history timeline.  The music curriculum promotes the teachers’ use of musical sound as the dominant language of musical teaching and learning, as well as the use of ICT.  Units such as song writing and whole class orchestras have incorporated the use of Garage band on the IPad. 

Throughout the music curriculum pupils are developing a map of musical knowledge, skills and understanding that they add to from the early years to when they leave in year 6.  Starting from the early years where pupils build a repertoire of songs and move rhythmically the pupils are developing a foundation from which they will develop their understanding into KS1.  In KS1, the music curriculum focuses on the pupils developing the basic musical principles of rhythm and melody.  Pupils play along with the pulse of the music whilst others thrive more from singing along with the songs during assemblies and class music making. Between KS1 and 2 the pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the musical skills and processes in the unit area.  KS2 pupils are given a more comprehensive experience of music with access to key musical instruments such as keyboard, glockenspiel and Djembe drums.  The pupils build upon their initial KS1 skills with increasing confidence and control, using the resources to develop their own performance skills of key pieces that link to the unit of work.  The pupils also compose using specific musical devices that will allow them to build up their understanding of the musical elements.

All work is recorded throughout the year using app technology, this allows for the lessons to focus on musical sound as the dominant language within the lesson and the demonstration and synthesis of the musical skills.  Pupils are given the opportunity to critique, evaluate and test their composition ideas based on their utilisation of musical skills.