At Swillington Primary School, our mission is to provide a transformative cradle to career education that allows our children to enjoy lives of choice and opportunity.
It is our intention that we make music an enjoyable learning experience and develop the talent in
everyone and enable them to imagine the possibilities.
We encourage children to participate and appreciate a variety of musical experiences (in and outside school), through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children, developing well-rounded individuals.
The children experience a wide range of music genres and music from different parts of the world. Music reflects the wider culture and society we live in and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to better understand the world they live in so that they are tolerant towards others.
At Swillington, we provide opportunities for all children to create, play, perform and enjoy music performed by others. Children are given the opportunities to imagine their own possibilities in music for the future.
Music Teaching
Early Years
From entering the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage, children have frequent opportunities to sing and experiment with a variety of musical instruments and sound makers indoors as well as outdoors. This develops their musical appreciation and creative performing skills. ‘Charanga Music School’ is delivered as a 30 minute session and in Reception as a 40 minute session. Early Years Charanga sessions are taught by an HLTA.
Keystage 1
Charanga is delivered by the class teacher as a 40-50 minute session. In addition to Charanga the class teachers can supplement other resources such as Music Express and other A&C Black publications linked to stories or topics to enhance music teaching.
Keystage 2
At Swillington Primary we value how learning a musical instrument can help a child develop in so many areas socially, personally and academically. In key stage 2 the children learn to play an instrument as part of their music provision. When not being taught instrumental skills, the children focus more on listening, appreciation and composition using Charanga Music School delivered by the class teacher.
Ensembles and Performances
Children are encouraged to perform together in a variety of situations, including in class as part of the curriculum and in formal concerts throughout the year. As part of their collaborative performance work, the children compose, listen to, and appraise their own and other’s work.
Both, KS1 and KS2 are timetabled to receive a weekly singing session in the hall of 40. Minutes. In these sessions the children learn new songs for up and coming performances/events/competitions.
Children have opportunities in school to listen to a variety of music and composers from different times and cultures. We invite a variety of musicians into school to perform for the children – these sessions frequently involve the children in practical workshops and give them the opportunity to ask questions about the music and the instruments. We do try to match the live performances to the topics been taught if possible. We also invite music specialists to deliver workshops (if possible topic linked). These often culminate in a performance to the whole school to showcase what they have learned in the workshop.
Extra-curricular opportunities
Choir – Over the last couple of years we have set up a number of extra-curricular groups.
We have a small choir for Y1-Y6 children to attend. As well as the choir performing in assemblies and the musical extravaganzas, the children have sung at the Great Preston Christmas Fayre and has just taken part in the virtual Young Voices 2023 concert.
