Music at Kirby
At Kirby, we value the importance of music and support our pupils to learn both inside and outside of the classroom. For our music lessons we follow the Charanga Music Scheme. From September 2024 we will have a specialist music teacher who will deliver lessons across the school to further enhance our musical offer to our pupils. We are also taking part in the Cultural Champions project with the Royal Opera House which we are excited to being in the Autumn term. Watch this space for more information!
Scheme Overview
The Charanga Musical School Scheme provides teachers with week-by-week lesson support for each year group in the school. It is ideal for specialist and non-specialist teachers and provides lesson plans, assessment, clear progression, and engaging and exciting whiteboard resources to support every lesson. The Scheme supports all the requirements of the national curriculum.
In line with the curriculum for music and guidance from Ofsted, this Scheme moves away from the previous levels and learning objective/outcome concepts to an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to musical learning.
Ofsted have stated that “We will not always know the learning outcomes” so segregated learning objectives at the start of each lesson are not appropriate. Instead the interrelated dimensions of music weave through the units to encourage the development of musical skills as the learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing.
How the Scheme is structured
Each Unit of Work comprises the of strands of musical learning which correspond with the national curriculum for music:
- Listening and Appraising
- Musical Activities
- Warm-up Games
- Optional Flexible Games
- Singing
- Playing instruments
- Improvisation
- Composition
- Performing
The Progression of Knowledge and Skills
After School Clubs for Music
The Kirby Choir after school club happens throughout the year. All children also perform singing every week in our singing assembly.
The reach2 song is often part of our performance in these assemblies:-
Our Song - Reaching Higher
During School Time Club - Rock Steady
Our children learn to play drums, guitar, keyboards and sing together in a bank. They form rock bands and perform at the end of every term to parents and children.
Extra Musical Experiences
Djembe drumming workshop led by Essex Music Services:-
Junior Ambassadors Project
The Junior Ambassadors Project run by Tendring District Council gives our pupils a diverse set of experiences. This project has given year 5 pupils at Kirby some fantastic oppourtunities to widen their experiences. For the past two years we have had this project and we are very much looking forward to completing it again next year in the Autumn term.
In terms of extra musical experiences, last year we had an African Story teller who told his story through music. The children also go to experience Bollywood dancing,
Please see below:-