Music

The Great Ancient Greek philosopher Plato stated: 

 

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” 

 

At BSCA Primary we are musicians! We want our children to love music. We want them to have no limits to what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be confident and passionate singers, musicians, dancers and DJs. We strive to achieve a learning environment and curriculum that allows every child to flourish in music. 

 

Our music curriculum embodies our vision: we create a place where all can achieve life in its fullness. 

 

Our children BELIEVE they are musicians who STRIVE to know more and remember more. They CARE for each other and the world. Finally, they ACHIEVE their excellence by working hard- at the end of their time in primary school they are musicians ready to continue their learning journey in key stage 3 and beyond. 

 

By living our vision and values we achieve our Trust vision: through our music curriculum our children will have Life in all its fullness. 

 

Our music curriculum has been carefully crafted so that our children develop their music capital. We want our children to remember their music lessons in our school and to have amazing memories to look back on. Our school has invested in providing specialist brass lessons for pupils in KS2 for many years through the Bolton Music Service. Bringing music alive is important at BSCA Primary.  

 

Curriculum Intent 

The music curriculum promotes curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. It is ambitious and empowers our children to become independent and resilient – like all our curriculum areas. We promote the use of a knowledge-rich curriculum to serve the key principles of cognitive science. Research has shown that those who are rich in knowledge gain new knowledge quicker and more effectively. Hirsch writes, knowledge should be thought of as mental velcro. People who have lots of subject-specific knowledge find that new knowledge ‘sticks’ to it, helping them commit the new information to long-term memory. 

We therefore place the acquisition of knowledge at the heart of the learning process. 

 

We want to equip them with the statutory requirements of the music National Curriculum and the suggestions given in the Model Music Curriculum, to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is central to the development and growth of our pupils and is also at the heart of our music curriculum alongside learning more and remembering more. For the last two years we have been privileged to be involved in a project with the Halle Orchestra including the opportunity to go to the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, playing alongside experienced professional musicians and hearing a live orchestra play. 

 

Our aim is for all children to access challenging curriculum content that covers a range of musical concepts. We seek to achieve this through the use of high-quality curriculum materials and knowledge organisers, that lay out specific, detailed, coherent knowledge and to use pedagogical practices that seek to ensure that knowledge is not just encountered but fixed in the long-term memory. We know that learning has not taken place if there has not been a change to long term memory. 

 

The children’s music learning starts in the early years with opportunities to build the children’s knowledge and vocabulary of music and being a musician. They are encouraged to explore and create music with percussion instruments and enjoy singing a large repertoire of songs. We link other areas of the early learning goals such as moving their bodies and explaining how music makes them feel.  

 

The KS1 curriculum has been designed to lay the groundwork of chronological knowledge and music skills to prepare them for further study in KS2. It is our intent that our KS2 curriculum prepares our children to go on to study the subject at key stage 3 and beyond to university, or that they will require particular subject knowledge in their future career, or need particular subject knowledge or skills to enable them to be active members of society. 

 

We enrich their time in our school with memorable, unforgettable experiences and provide opportunities which may normally be out of reach – this piques their interests and passions. Taking part in our End of Year Showcase forms part of this. The children perform their learning for each other. We listen to live music by attending Halle Orchestra performances and watching the pantomime at Christmas. 

 

Extra curricular opportunities are offered through various after school music clubs for the different key stages and all children in Key Stage 2 can access choir at dinner time weekly. 

 

Curriculum Implementation 

 

The music curriculum has been carefully built and the learning opportunities for each year group designed to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. We believe that our pupils need to be actively involved in making sense of their learning and therefore an enquiry approach has been implemented, encouraging higher-order thinking and allowing our children to explore. At Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, we implement a spiral curriculum in our music lessons that teaches, embeds and challenges the musical knowledge that forms the interrelated dimensions of music.  

  

Tier 3 subject specific music vocabulary is identified for each learning challenge. We encourage our children ‘To speak like musicians’ in all lessons and display key vocabulary in our classrooms using dual coding and place it on our knowledge organisers.  

  

Our medium term plans are used to set out the learning objectives for each lesson, identifying engaging activities and resources which will be used to achieve them. 

  

The curriculum is organised into topics for each half term, but each focus and skill interweaves throughout the year. Our bespoke curriculum is designed to be spiral, revisiting key knowledge in different areas of music. Finally, we end the year with a performance piece by each year group, having a different theme, showcasing the skills the children have developed as musicians and performers. Our teachers link prior knowledge to new learning to deepen understanding. We believe that by crafting our curriculum this way, we improve the potential for our children to retain what they have been taught, to alter their long-term memory and therefore make maximum progress. 

 

We embed the Windows, Mirrors and Doors approach in Music to make learning inclusive, reflective, and inspiring: 

• Windows – Music provides windows into the cultures, histories, and experiences of others. Pupils explore musical traditions from around the world, discovering how music reflects the identity, values, and stories of different communities. This helps develop cultural awareness, empathy, and curiosity about diversity. 

• Mirrors – Music acts as a mirror, reflecting pupils’ own experiences, ideas, and emotions. Through composing, performing, and improvising, children see their own identity and creativity reflected in their work, building confidence and a sense of personal expression. 

• Doors – Music opens doors to new possibilities for creativity, imagination, and collaboration. Pupils are inspired to innovate, explore different musical forms, and understand how music can influence mood, culture, and society. They develop the confidence to perform, create, and share their musical ideas with others. 

  

Curriculum Impact 

Our Music curriculum nurtures creativity, expression, and a love of music, enabling pupils to explore, perform, compose, and listen with confidence and enjoyment. Through a broad and balanced curriculum, children gain knowledge of musical styles, traditions, and cultures while developing practical skills in singing, playing instruments, and creating their own compositions. 

Music learning at our school supports personal, social, and emotional development, fostering collaboration, self-expression, and resilience. Pupils develop an understanding of how music can communicate feelings, tell stories, and connect people across time and cultures. 

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils: 

• Sing and play instruments with increasing accuracy, control, and expression. 

• Improvise and compose music using a range of instruments, voices, and digital tools. 

• Listen critically to a wide range of music, identifying patterns, styles, and moods. 

• Appreciate the cultural and historical context of music from different genres, periods, and communities. 

The impact of our Music curriculum is seen in pupils who: 

• Demonstrate creativity, confidence, and enjoyment in performing and composing. 

• Show an appreciation for musical diversity and cultural traditions. 

• Collaborate effectively and respond sensitively to others in musical settings. 

• Use music to express ideas, feelings, and identity, understanding its role in personal and social contexts. 

Through the Windows, Mirrors and Doors approach, children look through windows to experience musical traditions and perspectives beyond their own, see mirrors that reflect their own creativity and identity, and step through doors to innovate, perform, and imagine new musical possibilities. 

Ultimately, pupils leave Key Stage 2 as confident, expressive, and culturally aware musicians, ready to continue their musical journey in Key Stage 3 and beyond. 

 

Curriculum Overview

 

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Year 1	Nursery Rhymes	Nativity	Chime Bars	Chime Bars	Sounds of Nature	Assessed Performance
Year 2	Renaissance	Nativity	Chime Bars	Chime Bars	Ringtones and Alarms	Assessed Performance
Year 3	Baroque	Come Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen	Glockenspiel	Glockenspiel - Composition	Games / Storytelling	Assessed Performance
Year 4	Brass (BMS - WOPS) Musicianship	Brass (BMS - WOPS) Musicianship	Brass (BMS - WOPS) Learning to Play	Brass (BMS - WOPS) Learning to Play	Brass (BMS - WOPS) School Band	Brass (BMS - WOPS) School Band
Year 5	Classical	Silent Night (as a round)	Glockenspiel	Glockenspiel - Composition (Bandlab or Avid)	TV Adverts and radio	Assessed Performance
Year 6	Romantic / 20th Century	O Come All Ye Faithful	Glockenspiel	Glockenspiel - Composition (Bandlab or Avid)	Film Scores	Assessed Performance