Music

Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.

What is the subject objective?

The Music curriculum objective at Redwood Park is to provide a holistic and inclusive musical experience tailored to the diverse needs and varying abilities of our pupils. Through this they will be given opportunities to engage, be inspired and challenged to develop a love of music and explore their talents as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement.

At Redwood we encourage our pupils to do this through:

exploring sounds and musical concepts
developing their vocal and instrumental skills
use their imagination and skills to create musical ideas and compositions
develop their understanding and capacity to enjoy music through listening to music for pleasure and listening to musical performances and commenting on them performing
use ICT to realise or enhance their composition and performance, and to promote their understanding of how music works.

How is the subject delivered?

KS3 classes enjoy music across the week in different lessons with greater focus on performances and shows as they occur across the year, e.g. Christmas productions. KS4 pupils are able to choose Music as one of their option subjects and have a double lesson once a week. They work towards achieving a Bronze Arts Award in either Music or Dance. This is taught by the music specialist teacher.

Adaptive instruction:

tailored music instruction to accommodate individual learning styles and sensory preferences
use of various instruments, technologies and teaching methods to cater to diverse needs

Inclusive participation:

an inclusive environment is created that encourages active participation of all pupils
implemented strategies to address communication barriers and ensure every pupil can engage with music

Sensory engagement:

provision of sensory-rich experiences in music activities to stimulate auditory, visual and tactile senses

Motor skills development:

designed activities to support the development of fine and gross motor skills through rhythmic movements and instrument manipulation
integration of adaptive tools and techniques to accommodate motor challenges and enhance physical co-ordination

Communication and emotional expression:

use of music as a means of expression for both verbal and non-verbal pupils, fostering communication through rhythm, melody and movement
implemented strategies to support language development and communication skills within the musical context
encouragement of emotional expression through music, providing a safe space for pupils to explore and communicate their feelings
use of music as a therapy to address emotional and behavioural challenges, promoting emotional well-being

Community integration:

many opportunities are created throughout the year to attend and take part in a variety of musical events within the community, from watching live music to taking part in music festivals and workshops, and performing in school to build confidence and self-esteem and encourage a love for music.

Pupils’ individual EHCP targets are used to ensure the curriculum is relevant and accessible. Progress is measured considering both musical and developmental goals.

Long-term planning (LTP) is used to map the sequence of learning ensuring all the inter-related dimensions of music: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notation, are covered. A variety of resources are used ranging from tuned and untuned percussion instruments, keyboards, drums, guitars and ukuleles, books and diverse music genre playlist (classical through to pop music), and iPad apps including Garageband.

Pupils’ progress and evidence of achieving their targets is recorded in a variety of ways, including self-assessment, portfolios and photos/videos.

Portsmouth Music Hub has been involved in developing pupil skills and enjoyment of Music - see the enjoyment for yourself in this video:

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Impact and accreditation

Music can have a profound impact on a pupil’s learning across various areas of their development.

Integrating music into a pupil’s learning environment contributes to a holistic and well rounded educational experience. It positively impacts cognitive, emotional, social and physical development. It fosters creativity through the exploration of musical elements and stimulates imagination through exposure to diverse musical genres and styles.

The impact of this can be seen not just through the formal assessments used (e.g. KS4 Bronze Music Arts Award) but also in the growing discipline and focus, self expression and confidence displayed by pupils not just in music, but across other subjects in the curriculum. Pupils are more willing to put themselves forward for performance opportunities. Our ‘Redwood’s Got Talent’ show has the highest number of participants to date, since the implementation of the current music curriculum.

Reading across the curriculum

Reading plays a key role within the Music curriculum. For example, it allows emergent readers to follow simple rules, such as following written notation from left to right, understanding syllables through notation and rhythm work. More confident readers are able to choose songs from playlists, read musical stories and navigate apps by reading the instructions on screen. Listening to music allows pupils to expand their vocabulary, playing tuned instruments reinforces letter recognition (A-G)

Linking with our vision

The Music curriculum at Redwood Park seeks to harness the universal language of music to unlock the potential within each pupil. By embracing adaptability, inclusivity and personalised instruction, we aim to create a musical journey that enhances not only musical abilities, but also the overall well-being, confidence, self-esteem and growth for our pupils. We hope to nurture a love for music and an understanding of just how powerful it can be in our lives.

Redwood Park Academy