Music

At The Mill, our music curriculum inspires creativity, self-expression and encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.

At The Mill Primary Academy, our aim is to enable and inspire every child to become a musician; to actively engage with fun and diverse musical experiences. We believe that being a musician requires the self-confidence to be creative and take risks. Children build their knowledge and understanding of the elements of music and develop proficiency, as they nurture their love of and appreciation for music, and achieve personal musical success.

The National Curriculum states that: “As pupils progress, they should develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.” Therefore, the foundations of the TKAT music curriculum are underpinned by the technical, constructive and expressive pillars of musicianship, taught through the key concepts of pulse, rhythm, pitch, structure and notation. Children progressively build their understanding of these concepts in order to listen, compose and perform with growing precision and proficiency. Through this, children will make more music, think more musically and become more musical.

Our music curriculum is designed to allow space for exposure, experience and preparation; direct teaching of substantive musical knowledge; mindful practice; and meaningful application as children move their understanding from their conscious to unconscious mind. This, in turn, develops the qualities and characteristics of a rounded musician, ready to continue their musical journey into the next phase of their learning.

At The Mill, we also provide instrumental lessons where children can learn a range of instruments. All children also experience playing recorder, glockenspiels and ukuleles.

Singing is integrated through many subjects in our school. We have weekly singing lessons where we learn about the joy of singing as a group. We also use these sessions to prepare for our KS1 nativity and carol service.

Music development plan summary: The Mill Primary Academy

• Music curriculum is blocked throughout the year. This equates to 18 hours of discrete lessons.

• Two major musical events each year.

At The Mill we have:

• Access to lessons across a range of instruments and voice.

• A curriculum that uses untuned instruments and a variety of instruments.

• Our own choir that performs twice a year and within the community.

• A Rock Steady group.

• Strong links with West Sussex Music Services and host a wide-variety of events.

• An instrumental room for 1:1 lessons through West Sussex Music Services.

Subject Lead: Karin Johnson