At Amwell View we see daily how music can motivate pupils, build self-esteem and increase confidence and develop physical, sensory and intellectual capabilities. Through the teaching of Music, we aim for pupils to understand the role music plays in our lives, give them new musical experiences and help them to prepare for life beyond Amwell View. The objective for pupils within the EYFS stage is to begin their musical journey with instrument exploration, exposure to songs and rhymes and to begin to respond to music through body movement. We aim for musical skills to become more specific as the pupils continue through the school with high attainers working on reading musical scores and music appraisal. PMLD pupils access music through a multi-sensory approach including live performance and one to one exploration of musical instruments. All post 16 pupils work towards an Arts Award qualification through which they can develop an understanding of the performing arts through practical activities and research.
Pupils in the Foundation stage begin their musical journey through learning to choose and play instruments, move to music, listen to, and participate in familiar songs and learning new songs in music lessons and different contexts such as in weekly assemblies. As the pupils progress through the school the expectation is that they learn the names of instruments and understand how to control their playing. Musical vocabulary is introduced and early score reading. Pupils learn how to comment on music, recognising instrumental sounds and identifying the different musical elements within the music. They are encouraged to acquire their own musical tastes and to explore the world of music through a wide variety of topics. The Music overviews provide pupils with a broad knowledge of musical history and world music. Topics for lower key stages incorporate familiar songs and music, much of which links with school celebrations. PMLD pupils have both practical and sensory story sessions, both of which include live music. The staff/pupil relationships are extremely important as the successful delivery of the lessons requires an understanding of the pupils’ responses to instruments, sounds and music. Within Post 16, the focus is on using all the skills they have acquired over the years. Pupils work towards achieving Explore and Bronze Arts Awards, taking part in creative workshops, researching art establishments and learning to present their work. The students also form a rock band and are given the opportunity to experience performing as a band in front of an audience.
Music permeates all areas of the school curriculum. There are many cross-curricular links within classes with teachers using songs to introduce their lessons. Music links with dance forms the backbone of the annual school show and whole school celebrations revolve around music and songs. The department also runs four different clubs; choir, upper and lower school rock club, percussion club and a staff band regularly provides live music.
The impact of music at Amwell View is immeasurable. Every day we see pupils accessing music through a wealth of activities, challenging themselves, giving them pleasure and building their confidence. From foundation stage through to the post 16 pupils’ musical experience is wide and varied. The repertoire of songs is vast and the constant repetition of the songs in lessons, assemblies, concerts and celebrations gives the pupils the confidence to participate in them. It is also recognised that that songs can help pupils to remember information which is why so many of our teachers use songs as their starters for curriculum lessons. As the pupils learn to play instruments, we see increased coordination which helps the pupils to improve their hand-eye coordination. Encouraging pupils to comment on the music they hear enables them to hone their auditory skills and to become aware of the sounds around them. The group band work for the post 16 students can be challenging but we see pupils grow in confidence, develop a sense of achievement, and gain new leadership skill. School choir not only gives pupils the joy of making music with others but also teaches them how to work together and build friendships with pupils from across the key stages. Some pupils attending school choir become noticeably more relaxed in rehearsals and more able to control their anxieties. It is undeniable that music provides great benefits to all pupils, whether it is simply learning to listen or participate with others in a group activity or learning a more complex skill such as how to strum chords on an electric guitar. At Amwell View we recognise that Music can remove physical barriers, give joy and provide the tool for interacting with others.
Pupils are set half-termly musical learning outcomes, which link to topics being covered during that period and help pupils to develop their musical skills sequentially. The outcomes consider the ability of the pupils but there is room for pupils to work on a second outcome to enable them to develop their skills further. Pupils are continuously assessed with evidence being gathered through written comments, videos and photographs. Videos and photo evidence is uploaded onto Tapestry, a secure online learning journal. This tool gives parents and carers access to view their child’s work and progress. Written comments are placed into a folder on the network to enable teachers to track the pupils’ progress over the course of each year. Progress is also documented through summative assessment using B Squared which focuses on small steps of progress.
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