Music – Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent
At Shillingstone Primary School, our music curriculum intends to deliver a high-quality music education which engages and inspires all pupils to develop a life-long love of music, to identify and nurture their talent as musicians, and so increase their self confidence,creativity and sense of achievement.
Implementation
We deliver our Music Curriculum as a mostly discrete subject through a combination of Charanga’s online comprehensive scheme of work and using our teachers’ own music specialisms. In Years 3 and 4 we offer children the opportunity to learn a musical instrument which is now being taught by our teachers in school. Last year the children in Ocean class learnt to play the Ukulele which they then also used to perform alongside Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. This year the children across the whole school are learning to compose and play digitally using a variety of different platforms.
Extra opportunities for cross- curricular Music are provided wherever possible though class Topic and RE work. In March 2024 we held a cross-curricular Science and Music Day in which the children had lots of fun investigating sound. We have also enjoyed visits from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra who have introduced their instruments in such a fun way to our children.
The Charanga Music Scheme, which follows the ‘New English Model Music Curriculum’ provides a steady progression plan, which in our mixed age classes we aim to cover through our rolling programme. In conjunction with Charanga we provide other opportunities for pupils to learn to read music and play instruments such as the recorder. The current Music Curriculum Overview for 2025- 2026 is as follows:
By using Charanga as the basis of a scheme of work, we can ensure that the children are fulfilling the aims for musical learning stated in the National Curriculum. Charanga includes many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing, composing and improvising activities, which enable understanding of the contexts and genres. Charanga provides a classroom-based, participatory and inclusive approach to music learning. Throughout the scheme, children are actively involved in using and developing their singing voices, using body percussion and whole-body actions, and learning to handle and play classroom instruments effectively to create and express their own and others’ music. During their music lessons the children will be given opportunities to learn music-specific vocabulary in a meaningful context, explore the full range of musical dimensions and learn how to represent and read musical notation. The children enjoy composing and improvising in various digital formats too.
Impact
Whilst in school, children have opportunities to develop a life-long love of music and the essential skills of musicianship that ensure they are well prepared for their next stage of education. The music provision ensures children develop the essential skills of creativity and performance through: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection within the music curriculum and our extended provision. Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer. They can discuss music and comprehend its parts. They can sing, feel a pulse, add rhythms and create melodies both individually and in a group. They can further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives.
Further information about the teaching and learning of Music in our school can be found by reading the following documents:
Music-Development-Plan-2025-2026
Music News and Events
December 2025
We are delighted to have taken part in a pilot project using ‘Sound-Bop’ digital technology for the youngest pupils in our school. Thanks to Dorset Music Service we have had access to these new resources which the children have all been highly engaged in to learn music throughout this term.
July 2025
Our end of term Whole School Music Assembly gave all pupils the opportunity to perform to their parents. The parents commented on how wonderful this opportunity was to see the progression in music throughout the school and to gain a better understanding of how we teach Music here at Shillingstone. Martha Hopkins said ” Mrs Higgs, we love doing Music at our school, it’s fun!”
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