Where we learn to sing, compose and perform

At Sandal Castle Primary School we have designed our Music Curriculum with the intent that all children, regardless of background, will develop an appreciation and love of music and the creativity and sense of achievement that this subject brings. We aim that our children receive a varied and progressive diet of tuned (boomwhackers, ukuleles, chimebars, recorders) and untuned (body percussion, normal percussion, samba) instruments, plus singing throughout each year of their schooling.

We have carefully implemented a range of approaches to ensure that the needs of the children are effectively met.  A strategic system of monitoring and evaluation is undertaken by our Music Specialist, including lesson observations in each phase, and staff training and coaching sessions to ensure that teaching and learning is reviewed.  

In the Early Years and Key Stage 1, Music is implemented heavily through the ‘Charanga Scheme’, as well as our own personalized scheme’  This ensures that our youngest pupils are immersed in a curriculum that effectively develops their ability to feel and identify pulse, rhythm and pitch.  Our pupils within EYFS and Year 1 receive additional music provision through accessing Continuous Provision and through singing songs within their daily curriculum learning.

As the pupils progress into Key Stage 2, we implement our own schemes of work to suit the needs of our pupils. Each unit features aspects of skill development including the use of musical sound, composition and performance.  Where possible we aim for the units to reflect other areas of the curriculum so that cross curricular music can take place.  Wherever possible we endeavour for our children to perform for a real purpose and this is often showcased in our special termly Music Celebration Assemblies, and social media sites to provide extra motivation. 

At Sandal Castle Primary School we are passionate about singing. We understand the benefits of singing for both our educational, physical and mental health and sing everyday; either in assemblies, or as part of our learning experiences.  We have created a very strong singing culture, where children have a genuine love of this.   Our EYFS perform a nativity production every December, and our children from Years 1-6 participate in a Harvest Festival, Carol Concert and Easter Service at St. Helen’s Church, where singing is an intergral part of the Services. Our Year 6 pupils underatke a production in the Summer term which involves aspects of music; in particular singing. Our KS2 Choir annually participate in the much loved ‘Young Voice’s’ which is held at Sheffield Arena. Both of these offer fantastic lifetime memories and experiences of performing for a larger audience.

We currently have 60+ children who receive weekly private music lessons (keyboard, brass, strings, woodwind and drums) through Wakefield Music Services.

Our children are exposed to both live and pre- recorded music, across a range of historical periods on an almost daily basis. This is usually within Collective Worship and lessons. Pupils are able to identify musical instruments by their timbre and discuss the mood and effect of the music using language of the inter-related dimension (pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and structure).

We host a number of after school clubs focusing upon Music; Recorders and Choir have all been successfully attended over the years.