Our Prayer and Liturgy is an Opportunity to Sing and Experience Music 

In school, all children are exposed to liturgical music. This is music specifically composed for use in Catholic worship. This type of music plays a role in enhancing our music in school and Mass and takes various forms, such as hymns, chants, and anthems, each serving distinct purposes within the liturgy.

Music

Intent

Music is an essential part of life; integral in the development of the whole person. We believe that the opportunity to engage in musical experiences is crucial for the development of the whole child. Learning music develops all aspects of a child’s learning. These abilities are directly transferable to other areas of the curriculum, allowing children to flourish, and will be invaluable in their future life. At our school, children have access to music through regular class lessons, worship, workshops as well as extra opportunities such as  music lessons, choir and wider performance opportunities with other schools and in the local community. 

Through playing, singing, creating and performing, children will develop confidence, communication, thinking and creative skills and improve their emotional well-being. All children will be able to experience a sense of achievement and pride. It is our vision that every child adopts an understanding and love of music which they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. 

Implementation

The principal categories of the National Curriculum are taught to each Year Group through the Charanga Music scheme. Music is a foundation subject within in the National Curriculum and encompasses the following key areas which, when taken together, all contribute towards the steadily increasing development of musicianship, singing, listening, composing and performing/ Instrumental Performance.

Throughout the scheme, children are actively involved in using and developing their singing voices, using body percussion and whole-body actions, and learning to handle and play classroom instruments effectively to create and express their own and others’ music.  Furthermore, Charanga deepens children's understanding of the musical elements:

• Pulse / Beat / Metre
• Rhythm
• Pitch: Melody
• Tempo
• Dynamics
• Timbre
• Texture
• Structure (Form)

At St Louis we ensure this when we:

• Perform, listen to, review and appraise music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions which reflects the diverse community in which we live.
• Learn to sing and to use voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.
• Understand and explore how music is created through the building blocks of music: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
• Develop performance expertise through musical opportunities such as: end of year concerts, assembly performances,  Mass, choir, Nativity performances and Easter performance.

Impact

The impact reflects what we have achieved from our intent, and we can see it by the  array of activities and opportunities children have:

• Christmas performances and performance to peers and local community.
• Key Stage 2 perform a musical in the Summer Term.
• Pupils regularly perform at Prayer and Praise, concerts, assemblies, fares and in church.
• Whole school theatre visits (Reception to Year 6).
• Key Stage 2 choir with community performances.
• Visiting musicians present workshops and the opportunity to hear live music, for example drum workshop.

 

We use a range of instruments to help children learn in their weekly music lessons.