Music

At Christ Church School we teach a broad and balanced music curriculum. We use a progressive scheme of work from KAPOW that builds on previous learning and provides challenge and support.

We provide children with opportunities to listen, compose and perform and give children time to learn about and discuss the history and chronology of music, through “Minute of Listening”. We like to ensure that the strands of listening; performing; composing and evaluating are covered. Through focussing on the inter-related dimensions of music, children learn about pitch;  duration; dynamics; tempo; timbre; texture; structure; appropriate musical notation.

Class teachers teach music for 30-45 mins weekly using resources from the KAPOW scheme.  Lessons are supplemented by instrumental resources available in school (percussion instruments, glockenspiels etc) In Year 3, children have the opportunity to participate in whole class ensemble tuition, learning the ukulele or steel pans, for one term. These lessons are taught by specialist staff from Bristol Beacon and supported by the class teacher.  

Within the Early Year Foundation Stage we run continuous provision, where children have free access to all resources – including musical instruments – and opportunities, allowing them to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding at their own pace and interest.  We relate the creative development of the children to the points set out in the foundation stage profile, as well as the age-related expectations in development matters which underpin the curriculum planning for children from birth to five. The children’s learning includes music, art, dance, role-play and imaginative play. The range of experiences encourages children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so extends their understanding.

Key Stage 2 children are offered the chance to be part of a Key Stage 2 choir. This is run as a lunchtime club for 30 mins per week and children rehearse at school and then perform in venues across Bristol, at events throughout the year organised by Bristol Beacon. Venues include: St George’s, Bristol Cathedral and Bristol Beacon.

At school, the instrumental tuition currently offered is for violin, viola, recorder, flute, clarinet, guitar and drums. Peripatetic staff come in to school to offer these lessons for children in Years 3 - 6 in dedicated rooms across the school and tuition is paid for directly by parent/carers. Lessons are offered on an individual and small group basis.

Children attend one assembly weekly, dedicated to singing. Here they have the opportunity to sing songs from a variety of cultures, in a number of languages and from a diverse musical repertoire.  Male and female teachers are part of this assembly therefore children are exposed to both male and female voices. In Key Stage 2, children are taught and encouraged to sing counter melodies and harmonies so that whole school singing performances often include singing in parts.

In Early Years and Key Stage 1, children rehearse and perform a Christmas performance each year. This comprises of a number of songs, which they perform with a backing track. This gives them an opportunity to sing as part of a large group in front of an audience.

All children learn a song for Harvest, Christmas and Easter as part of their class or year group. These songs are performed to an audience of parents and carers at the local church, thus every child is given the opportunity to perform with their voice at least 3 x per year.