Music at Flyford Flavell Primary School
At Flyford Flavell Primary School we want every child to appreciate all styles of music through listening, composing, performing and learning to play instruments. All of the children are given the opportunity to perform during a variety of school events such as the Christmas performance, assemblies and our Summer Show. Children begin their musical learning journey in Early Years where they enjoy learning and singing nursery rhymes. As the children move into Key Stage 1, they continue to gain confidence when singing through performing familiar songs but also begin to add musical elements to their performance. As the children progress into lower Key Stage 2 they perform more complex pieces and begin to compose their own songs and reflect on these compositions. When the children reach upper Key Stage 2 they are taught to perform multiple parts from memory and harmonise with confidence.
Local Hero: Summer Term
Elgar is a local hero whom we will study on an annual basis making cross curricular links with history and geography. In Reception children will be introduced to Elgar as a local hero, learning some key facts about his life and where he lived. They will enjoy listening to a range of his compositions and will be able to talk about what they like.
In Key Stage 1, children will refresh on their prior learning then study the composition of an orchestra. They will be able to pick out key orchestral features of the music of Elgar and respond to it in their own compositions.
In Lower Key Stage 2, children will compare and contrast Elgar’s “The River” and “Pomp and Circumstance.” They will make a deep analysis of the pieces, working out the different emotions pieces evoke and why. They will then make compose their own music based on these pieces.
In Upper Key Stage 2, Pupils will undertake a deeper analysis into the work of Elgar. They will explore Elgar's Enigma Variations including Nimrod and reflect on how each piece represents a member of his family and friends. They will use the findings of their analysis to compose their own musical pieces which represent their family. By the time children leave Flyford Flavell Primary School, they will have a deep and secure appreciation of the life and works of Elgar.
Early Years
Children explore and develop a love of music through singing, sharing nursery rhymes and dancing. They continue to build on these skills by singing familiar songs from memory and performing in front of an audience on a variety of occasions. As part of the ‘Understanding the World’ area of learning the children are introduced to cultures and festivals from around the world. Whilst doing this the children are exposed to music from these locations and given the opportunity to sing and dance along to the music.
Key Stage One
When the children move into Years One and Two, they refine and build on the skills gained in Reception. The children begin to find their singing voices to enable them to sing a melody accurately at their own pitch. They begin to sing with a sense of awareness for pulse and control of rhythm. When singing as part of a group the children will begin to sing expressively and with an awareness for the other performers. The children are exposed to a range of music from across the world. For example, as part of their ‘Africa’ topic the children listen to and are given the opportunity to perform different songs from the continent. During their ‘Sports’ topic the children investigate national pride and the importance of national anthems. They are given the opportunity to pick a country as a class to learn parts of the national anthem.
Lower Key Stage Two
As the children progress into Years 3 and 4 they learn to sing in tune and with a confident wide vocal range. They will begin to recognise and deliver a range of musical elements when performing such as tempo, pulse, timbre and dynamics. The children will sing songs that have a range of vocal effects and understand how mouth shapes can affect voice sounds. The children are given the opportunity to explore and perform different styles of music from a variety of cultures around the world. For example, during their ‘Indian’ and ‘European’ topic the children are exposed to music from these nations and compare them to music they are familiar with through performance.
Upper Key Stage Two
When the children move into Years 5 and 6 they will sing a variety of songs with increasing control of breathing, posture and sound projection. The children will explore how to sing a round in two parts. To do this they will be taught to identify the melodic phrases. and how they fit together. The children will be involved in a range of activities to build confidence when singing as a class, in a small group or independently. As part of this children are exposed to ways that cultures from around the world express their views and feelings through singing. Examples of this include analysing the cultural stories portrayed through opera and through tribal chanting. In doing this they will begin to have an awareness of improvisations within the voice. The children in the later years, will have the opportunity to perform as part of the Young Voices choir.