Netherthong

‘Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity’ – The National Curriculum

At Netherthong, our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journey as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others. We endeavour to foster a lifelong love of music by exposing them to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music. We are committed to developing a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.

The aims of our music curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Can sing and use their voices individually and in a group


• Create and compose music on their own and with others


• Use technology appropriately when composing


• Have opportunities to learn a musical instrument


• Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated


• Listen to, review and evaluate the work of great composers and musicians from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions


• Enjoy and have an appreciation of a range of different musical styles e.g. Classical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Rock etc.


• Use and understand musical language and include musical features in their own work


• Make judgements about the quality of music


• Have opportunities to play a wide variety of instruments


• Have different opportunities to take part in performances

At Netherthong, we use 5 strands to implement the teaching of our music curriculum which are:

1. An ambitious and engaging music curriculum, taught through weekly music lessons.


2. Listening to music and learning about composers and musicians


3. Weekly singing assemblies


4. Music clubs, ensembles and instrument lessons


5. Regular opportunities to perform

1. An ambitious and engaging music curriculum – taught through weekly music lessons

We aim for our children to leave us, being able to read and notate music, play instruments with some fluency and musicality, critically analyse, improvise and compose music, and understand music history. To ensure this happens, we have a clear progression of knowledge, skills and understanding mapped out from Reception through to Year 6.

Music is taught in weekly lessons, using the Sing Up scheme of work. The scheme supports all the requirements of the National Curriculum and Model Music Curriculum with the interrelated dimensions of music, woven through each unit, giving the opportunity to embed knowledge, understanding and skills.

Within the EYFS setting, music is an integral part of children’s learning journey. Rhyme and rhythm are utilised throughout the learning of phonics, handwriting and mathematics. Children learn a wide range of songs and rhymes and develop skills for performing together. Singing and music making opportunities are used frequently to embed learning, develop musical awareness and to demonstrate how music can be used to express feelings.

2. Listening and learning about composers and musicians

We all know that reading to children and talking about books is crucial to their development as writers. The same is true for music. If we want our children to be rounded musicians

Children in Year 5 benefit from whole class specialist teaching, delivered by a member of Kirklees Musica. These lessons allow children the opportunity to learn to play a brass instrument as part of an ensemble and to engender a love of music learning. Throughout the sessions the interrelated dimensions of music are developed.

Performance is at the heart of musical teaching and learning at Netherthong and pupils participate in a range of performances during their time in school. Pupils also take part in Harvest assemblies and singing assemblies. Pupils who are confident are encouraged to perform in solo performances. Parents are invited and welcomed to watch all of these performances whether at school or outside of school.

Alongside our curriculum provision for music, pupils also have the opportunity to participate in additional 1:1 music teaching by being offered the opportunity to learn a musical instrument with peripatetic teachers. Our peripatetic music teaching is organised by Kirklees Musica.

At Netherthong, we also recognise that staff have musical abilities that can be utilised to supplement our musical curriculum. Pupils in KS2 have had the opportunity to learn to play the ukulele within a lunchtime club led by two members of staff. Pupils also have the opportunity to join the school choir and to participate in various concerts both in school and in the wider community. The school choir is open to KS2 children on a weekly basis, with the average number of pupils being in the range of 10-20. Pupils in the school choir meet during lunchtime and focus on singing in unison, developing harmony, solo performances and having fun! The school choir also have the opportunity to perform in school performances, carol concerts and have sung at a range of events both in school and at other venues.

3. Weekly singing assemblies

Everyone sings at Netherthong!  We have weekly Key Stage singing assemblies which are an opportunity to appreciate the value and joy of collective singing as well as developing singing skills and part singing. Songs are selected for their musical value as well as linking in with our school values and assembly themes. We then come together each half term to sing as a whole school, sharing the songs we have learnt.

4. Music clubs, ensembles and instrument lessons

At Netherthong, children with a flair or an interest in music have the opportunity to progress to the next level of learning through instrument tuition or a club. Kirklees Musica offer lessons in a wide range of instruments which our children taking this opportunity to learn a new skill with enthusiasm and enjoyment. We also allow all children from Year 2 upwards to learn the ukulele on a Monday lunchtime, starting with basic chords and progressing to putting those chords to songs which we also learn to sing. On Friday’s, children from Year 2 upwards can come along to our school choir. We learn a variety of genres and songs which we then perform every half term either at our school fairs, during assemblies, at our local town hall or at our local care home. During the summer term, Year 3 learn to play the recorder as a class. This prepares them for reading notation and moving fingers in the correct time, when they learn a brass instrument in Year 5. Children at Netherthong are all given the chance to learn a brass instrument in Year 5. We have a peripatetic teacher from Kirklees Musica who teaches and conducts them.

5. Regular opportunities to perform

Pupils have regular opportunities to showcase their skills to an audience.
These are planned into our progression with audiences getting wider as children progress through the school starting with Reception performing to their Year 3 and Year 6 buddies through to Year 6 planning, creating and implementing their own end of year production. We take part in many musical projects, organised by our local authority, where we join with many schools in the Kirklees area. Additionally, each of our year groups rehearse and perform a Christmas production both to the school and to their parents and carers, who come into our school to watch the performances.

‘Having the opportunity to study and explore music is not a privilege; it is a vital part of a broad and ambitious curriculum.’ - Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP Minister of State for School Standards

Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows them to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon. The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a child may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to children individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listeners, creators or performers. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They understand how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.

Here are some examples:

• Our Year 5 brass ensemble and school choir opened our winter fair, performing different Christmas carols to help every get into the festive spirit.


• Children from Year 5 who have been learning the guitar during peripatetic session, did a beautiful rendition on In the Bleak Midwinter, which you can find below.


• Reception to Year 6 rehearsed and performed their own take on the Christmas story, singing and dancing us through to the Christmas holiday.


• Year 3 take part in the Mrs Sunderland event every year. They have a repertoire of songs they learn and then visit Huddersfield Town Hall to rehearse and perform the songs along with many other schools from the local area.


• Our Ukulele orchestra have performed, as part of a mass ensemble, in our local folk festival with the Ukulele Jamboree.


• During the second summer term, the school choir took part in the Kirklees Primary Music Festival. Here, we learnt 12 songs which, having learnt these at school, rehearsed them at Huddersfield Town Hall with many other schools in Kirklees and then performed them in front of a live audience. 

Click HERE for Music Curriculum Map

Click HERE for Music Progression Map

Click HERE for Music Vocabulary Map