Music at Greenleas

At Greenleas Music is an essential part of our curriculum and children are encouraged to develop a love of music. The teaching of music contributes to and enriches the breadth and balance of our curriculum and enhances the whole school environment. In addition, it meets the developing creative needs of our children and we share our enjoyment of music within the wider community. Provision is through both a discrete and cross-curricular dimension.

“Music is essentially a practical subject. Those who, however modestly, actually perform and compose music are more likely to respond to it with understanding, compared with those who do not.” (Music from 5 to 16, 1985)

Our Principles for Music

• ensure that the curriculum is accessible to all children, that it is relevant to them and approachable, whilst providing a challenge and a stimulus for self-development

• develop a sensitive response to sound in general, and in particular to those sounds organised as ‘music’

• develop insight through music into areas of experience, some of which cannot easily be verbalised

• develop the capacity to express ideas and feelings through improvisations or symbolically through the medium of sound

• develop musical concepts and skills such as singing, listening and performing, whilst engaged in meaningful musical activity

• develop social skills and an awareness through music making of the contributions of others

• develop, through musical activity, personal and emotional involvement and a sense of achievement both individually and as a member of a group

• develop an awareness of a variety of musical traditions, cultures, and historical context

• provide additional opportunities to further extend and enrich musical experiences e.g. singing in a choir, enrichment through whole class instrumental lessons, opportunities for instrumental lessons e.g. piano, violin, guitar, cello, brass instruments

• To encourage children to sing with enjoyment and enthusiasm from an early age, free from inhibition.