Music forms an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum and is a foundation subject. Across all year groups, we create an ambitious, coherently planned and sequenced music curriculum which is successfully adapted for SEND and non-advantaged pupils.

From Early Years to Year 6, we ensure a good music curriculum is taught throughout Wolsey House Primary School with high-quality planning based on explicit knowledge and understanding of the pedagogy of the subject, using children’s prior knowledge and skills.

In Foundation Stage, we use our own in-house scheme based on Bobby Shaftoe – Clap Our Hands scheme and use the Charanga Music Scheme from Years 1 to 6.

In Nursery and Reception, children learn nursery rhymes, number songs and well-known songs ranging from traditional songs to newer ones. Music lessons are delivered in both groups and the whole class alongside ongoing continuous provision. EYFS children have an opportunity to create their own musical experiences. Children mainly use untuned percussion instruments in addition to body music and the development of focused use of the voice.

Years 1 to 6 follow the Charanga Music Scheme. The Charanga Musical School Scheme provides teachers with week-by-week lesson support for each year group in the school. The scheme supports all the requirements of the national curriculum. It is an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to music learning. The interrelated dimensions of music weave through the units to encourage the development of musical skills as learning progresses through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing. Every child has a glockenspiel to use during each music session.

The Charanga Scheme is structured so that each unit of work comprises all the strands of musical learning which correspond with the national curriculum for music: Listening and Appraising; Musical Activities – warm-up games, optional flexible games, singing, playing instruments, improvisation and composition. Time is planned into each unit so that children have an opportunity to perform.