Music is taught through the Charanga scheme, providing a coherent and progressive sequence of musical learning across the school. Charanga's spiral approach enables important musical concepts and skills to be revisited regularly so that pupils build increasing confidence, fluency and sophistication over time.

 

Teaching follows Ascot Road's whole-school pedagogical framework of Revisit and Review, Teach, Practice and Apply, adapted appropriately for the practical nature of Music. Teachers revisit previously learned songs, rhythms, vocabulary and musical concepts before explicitly modelling new techniques or ideas. Pupils then rehearse and practise before applying their learning through performance, improvisation or composition.

 

Music lessons integrate the interconnected areas of listening and appraising, singing, playing, improvising, composing and performing. Pupils are active participants in music-making and are given regular opportunities to experience musical concepts practically rather than learning about them solely through written or theoretical tasks.

 

Listening is purposeful and carefully structured. Pupils encounter music from different genres, cultures and historical periods and are encouraged to identify features such as instrumentation, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, texture and structure. Teachers model appropriate musical vocabulary so pupils can increasingly explain what they hear and justify their responses.

 

Singing is developed progressively, with pupils learning to use their voices confidently and expressively. Teachers model accurate pitch, rhythm and phrasing and provide regular opportunities for repetition and rehearsal. Pupils learn to listen to one another, maintain their own part and increasingly perform with an awareness of ensemble and audience.

 

Instrumental work develops pupils' coordination, technique and musical understanding. Pupils use tuned and untuned percussion and other appropriate classroom instruments to explore rhythm, melody and accompaniment. Where pupils receive specialist instrumental teaching, this further supports technical skill, musicianship, discipline and confidence.

 

Improvisation provides pupils with opportunities to experiment with musical ideas within a supportive structure. Pupils learn that there can be multiple successful responses to a musical task and are encouraged to take creative risks, listen to the outcomes and refine their ideas.

 

Composition develops progressively from exploring and organising sounds to making deliberate choices about musical elements. Pupils are encouraged to create music for a purpose, consider the effect of their choices and refine their compositions following rehearsal, discussion and feedback.

 

Musical notation is introduced progressively and used as one way of representing sound. Pupils develop understanding of appropriate graphic, rhythmic and staff notation as they progress, making connections between the sounds they hear, perform and create and the ways these can be recorded.

 

Rehearsal and refinement are integral to Music. Pupils learn that high-quality musical outcomes are developed over time through repetition, careful listening and improvement. Teachers provide specific feedback that enables pupils to refine accuracy, control, expression and ensemble performance.

 

Checking for understanding takes place continually through observation, questioning, listening to pupils perform and discussing their musical decisions. Teachers respond immediately to misconceptions relating to rhythm, pulse, pitch, terminology or technique and provide further modelling or practice where needed.

 

In the Early Years, the foundations of Music are developed primarily through Expressive Arts and Design, alongside Communication and Language and Physical Development. Children explore their voices, bodies, instruments and environmental sounds and begin to recognise differences in pitch, tempo, dynamics, rhythm and timbre through practical, playful experiences.

Songs, nursery rhymes and chants support children's auditory memory, language development and awareness of rhythm and rhyme. Movement to music supports gross motor coordination and helps children internalise pulse, while handling instruments develops fine motor control and an understanding of how different sounds can be produced.

 

Adult-led musical experiences introduce songs, instruments and musical ideas explicitly, while continuous provision allows children to experiment independently with sound, movement and musical patterns. Children are encouraged to sing together, imitate rhythms, create their own sounds and perform for others, establishing confidence and the collaborative behaviours required for Key Stage 1 Music.

 

Singing and performance also extend beyond discrete lessons. Assemblies, class performances, concerts, choir and other wider opportunities enable pupils to apply their learning for different audiences and experience the shared enjoyment and community that collective music-making can create.

 

Assessment in Music is ongoing and predominantly practical. Teachers consider pupils' ability to listen, perform, compose and use musical vocabulary rather than relying heavily on written outcomes. Subject leadership uses monitoring, pupil voice and consideration of musical outcomes to evaluate progression and the quality of provision across the school.

 

The impact of our Music curriculum is seen in pupils who develop confidence, enjoyment and increasing independence as musicians. They are able to listen attentively, perform with increasing accuracy and expression and create musical ideas using a developing understanding of the elements of music.

 

Pupils demonstrate secure and increasingly sophisticated knowledge of musical concepts including pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture and structure. They are able to identify these features when listening to music and make deliberate use of them when performing and composing.

 

Pupils become increasingly confident singers and instrumental performers. They can maintain a pulse, perform rhythmic and melodic patterns and respond to musical direction with growing accuracy. As they progress through the school, they demonstrate greater control, expression and awareness of how their individual contribution affects an ensemble.

Pupils develop confidence in composition and improvisation. They can generate musical ideas, organise sounds purposefully and explain some of the choices they have made. They increasingly understand that musical work can be refined and improved and use rehearsal and feedback to develop their outcomes.

 

Pupils listen with increasing discrimination and use appropriate vocabulary to discuss what they hear. They can identify similarities and differences between pieces, recognise features of different genres and traditions and explain their own responses to music with increasing depth.

 

Through regular rehearsal and performance, pupils demonstrate Responsibility for their own contribution and the collective outcome. They understand the importance of preparation, concentration, listening and caring for instruments and equipment.

Pupils demonstrate Honesty when reflecting on their own performance, recognising both strengths and areas for improvement. They learn to receive and give constructive feedback sensitively and understand that improvement is an important part of musical development.

 

Music also has a significant impact on pupils' sense of belonging. Singing and performing together enable pupils to experience collective achievement and recognise that every individual contribution matters. Pupils demonstrate Kindness, Respect and Fairness by listening to others, sharing musical opportunities and valuing different contributions within an ensemble.

 

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have developed a strong foundation in listening, singing, performing, composing and musical understanding and are well prepared for the next stage of their musical education. They leave Ascot Road with confidence in their ability to participate in music and an understanding that musical achievement can take many different forms.

 

Curriculum impact is evaluated through teacher assessment, observation of lessons and rehearsals, pupil voice, recorded performances, compositions and live performance opportunities. Subject monitoring considers whether pupils demonstrate increasing musical knowledge, technical control, creativity and independence over time.

 

At Ascot Road Primary School, Music is inclusive by design. We believe every pupil should experience the enjoyment, creativity and sense of achievement that music can provide. High expectations are maintained for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with appropriate adaptations made to ensure meaningful participation.

 

The practical and multi-sensory nature of Music provides many different ways for pupils to demonstrate success. Pupils can engage through listening, singing, movement, playing instruments, improvising and composing, meaning that musical understanding does not depend solely on reading or written recording.

 

Teachers anticipate potential barriers and select adaptations according to individual need. These may include visual prompts, symbol-supported notation, colour or shape cues, simplified rhythmic patterns, larger or adapted instruments, additional modelling, chunked instructions and repeated opportunities for rehearsal.

 

Musical learning is frequently modelled through an I do, we do, you do approach. Pupils hear or see the musical idea first, practise it collectively and then apply it with increasing independence. This supports pupils who may experience difficulties with auditory processing, working memory, coordination or communication.

 

Repetition and overlearning are used purposefully. Familiar songs, rhythms and musical structures are revisited so pupils can build automaticity and confidence before additional complexity is introduced.

 

Teachers are responsive to pupils' sensory needs. Volume, instrument choice, positioning within the room and opportunities for breaks or gradual exposure may be adapted where appropriate, while ensuring pupils remain included within the intended musical experience.

 

Physical adaptations are made where required so that pupils can access instruments or alternative means of producing sound. The musical intention remains ambitious even when the physical method of participation differs.

Pupils who experience anxiety around performing are supported progressively. They may begin by performing as part of a whole class or small group before taking on increasingly independent roles. No pupil is made to feel that public solo performance is the only measure of musical success.

 

Adult support is used to enable access while encouraging independence. Pupils are supported to listen to musical cues, follow visual prompts and make their own musical choices rather than having adults complete musical tasks on their behalf.

 

Pupils who demonstrate secure understanding are challenged through increasing musical complexity, independence and creativity. They may maintain more complex parts, lead sections of an ensemble, improvise with greater freedom, develop more sophisticated compositions or evaluate music in greater depth.

 

Our value of Fairness means recognising that successful participation may look different for different pupils. By ensuring that every child has a meaningful musical role and their contribution is valued, Music provides particularly powerful opportunities to strengthen confidence, self-expression and belonging.

 

 

Music provides pupils with a powerful means of exploring the richness and diversity of human culture. Through the Charanga curriculum and our wider musical provision, pupils encounter music from a broad range of genres, traditions, historical periods, communities and parts of the world.

 

Pupils learn that music exists within cultural and historical contexts. They explore how different communities use music for celebration, storytelling, worship, protest, entertainment, communication and the expression of identity and emotion. This enables pupils to appreciate that music can have different meanings and functions for different people.

 

Our curriculum seeks to avoid presenting Western classical music as the single standard against which all other musical traditions are judged. Pupils encounter a broad repertoire and are encouraged to value different musical traditions on their own terms, developing both musical knowledge and cultural understanding.

 

Pupils explore the work of musicians, composers and performers from a variety of backgrounds and traditions. Where appropriate, teachers provide context about the origins and development of the music being studied so that pupils understand the people and communities connected to it rather than encountering pieces in isolation.

 

Through listening and discussion, pupils develop Respect for musical traditions that may initially be unfamiliar to them. They are taught to listen openly and thoughtfully rather than dismissing unfamiliar styles based on personal preference.

 

Kindness is developed through collaborative music-making. Pupils recognise that musical performance depends upon listening to and supporting others and learn to celebrate the achievements of their peers rather than comparing contributions competitively. 

Fairness is promoted by ensuring that musical participation is not limited to pupils who already receive private instrumental tuition or have previous experience outside school. Curriculum music provides every pupil with opportunities to sing, perform, compose and develop musical understanding.

 

Music also provides opportunities to celebrate the cultural and musical experiences represented within the Ascot Road community. Where appropriate, pupils' knowledge of songs, instruments, musical traditions and languages from their own families and communities can enrich classroom learning and strengthen connections between home and school.

 

Honesty is encouraged in pupils' musical responses. Children learn that they can have personal preferences while still recognising the quality, meaning or cultural importance of music they would not choose to listen to themselves. They are taught to express preferences respectfully and provide reasons for their views.

 

Responsibility is developed as pupils recognise the importance of preserving, respecting and appropriately engaging with musical traditions. They learn that music can have cultural, spiritual or historical significance beyond entertainment and should therefore be approached with sensitivity.

 

Ultimately, music reinforces our central principle of belonging. Music has the ability to connect people across language, culture and experience, while also allowing individuals and communities to express distinctive identities. Through listening, performing and creating together, pupils learn that difference enriches collective experience and that everyone has a place and a voice within the musical life of Ascot Road.