Music

At Barton Junior School, we recognise that music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. We aim to engage and inspire pupils to develop their love of music and encourage individuals to participate in a range of musical lessons to support them in developing their talents. 

We make music an enjoyable learning experience. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Our teaching focuses on developing the children’s ability to sing in tune and with other people. Through singing songs, children learn about the structure and organisation of music. We teach them to listen and to appreciate different forms of music from different eras.  

As children get older, we expect them to maintain their concentration for longer and to listen to more extended pieces of music. Children develop descriptive skills in music lessons when learning about how music can represent feelings and emotions. We teach them the disciplined skills of recognising pulse and pitch. We also teach the children how to work with others to compose music and perform for an audience. 

  

Aims of The National Curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians 

• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence 

• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations. 

Music teaching at Barton Junior School delivers the requirements of the National Curriculum, and teachers plan lessons using the Charanga scheme of work. The activity manual supports the learning. Each unit of work has an on-going musical learning focus and lessons usually follow a specific learning sequence: 

• Listen and Appraise 

• Musical Activities (including pulse and rhythm often through games) 

• Singing and Voice 

• Playing instruments 

• Improvisation / Composition 

• Perform and Share 

 
Music teaching is practical and engaging. Lessons typically involve a combination of the following: listening to music and discussing music, games, songs, playing a range of musical instruments, performing back, finding the pulse and composing music. Music teaching provides our pupils with an understanding and appreciation for music, by studying a wide range of musical styles and genres from a range of musical periods. Glockenspiels are used in music lessons for playing along to backing tracks and for performing compositions which require pitch. 

 
Performance is at the heart of musical teaching and learning at Barton Junior School and all pupils participate in a key stage performance throughout the year, whether this be a harvest festival, carol concert or end of year production. Pupils also take part in singing assemblies and have the opportunity to audition for our school choir and sing in the local community. 

iROCK

iRock is trusted by hundreds of primary schools all over the UK, providing thousands of children the opportunity to be in their own rock and pop band. Under the guidence of an iRock music teacher, children rehearse weekly in the lead up to end of term concerts. Lessons are designed to be totally inclusive and we offer children an exam free qualification to celebrate and reward their achievements. Lessons not only increase children's interest in music, they can help develop invaluable life skills which in turn help their overall academic success. 

Taken from the i-Rock website - About | iRock Rock and Pop Band Lessons (irockschool.com)