Music Curriculum

Intent

Music is a universal language that fosters creativity, self-expression, and cultural understanding. At Dunn Street Primary, our music curriculum aims to develop pupils’ confidence, knowledge, and skills in performing, composing, improvising, and listening. Pupils are encouraged to explore music from a wide range of traditions, genres, and historical periods, including classical, contemporary, digital, and world music.

Our intent is that all pupils:

• Experience a wide variety of musical forms, styles, and cultures.
  
  
• Enjoy participating in music, whether through singing, playing instruments, improvising, or composing.
  
  
• Achieve progressive skills in performance, composition, listening, and appraisal, preparing them for lifelong engagement with music.
  
  
• Develop confidence, collaboration, and oracy through group work, discussion, and performance.
  
  
• Access an inclusive curriculum that supports all learners, including SEND pupils, through multi-sensory, scaffolded, and differentiated activities.
  
  
• Understand the social and cultural significance of music, appreciating how it reflects identity, community, and history.
  
  

The curriculum is sequenced to build foundational musical skills in EYFS and KS1, develop ensemble and compositional skills in LKS2, and extend into digital composition, performance fluency, and historical context in UKS2, ensuring progression and continuity throughout primary education.

 

Implementation

Music at Dunn Street is practical, engaging, and structured to develop skills systematically while allowing creativity. Lessons are planned using the school’s knowledge and skills framework alongside resources such as Aurora Classroom, Kapow, BBC Ten Pieces, GarageBand and Friday Afternoons.

Key features of implementation include:

• Progressive Units: Termly units focus on pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, structure, timbre, improvisation, and composition. Units build on prior learning and revisit skills in increasingly complex contexts.
  
  
• Practical Music-Making: Pupils sing, play tuned and untuned instruments (glockenspiel, ukulele, keyboard, drums), improvise and compose both acoustically and digitally.
  
  
• Listening and Appraisal: Pupils listen to a range of high-quality music, discussing structure, mood, and intent, and using appropriate musical vocabulary.
  
  
• Performance Opportunities: Pupils regularly perform in class, assemblies, concerts, Christmas productions and school events, developing confidence and ensemble awareness.
  
  
• Inclusive and Differentiated Approach: Lessons are scaffolded for SEND pupils and allow multiple entry points. Tasks can be differentiated by complexity, instrument choice, or support level.
  
  
• Cross-Curricular and Thematic Links: Music is integrated with storytelling, history, and other curriculum areas to enrich understanding and engagement.
  
  
• Enrichment Opportunities: Peripatetic instrumental lessons, choir, and ensemble work provide opportunities for pupils showing aptitude to develop further and participate in local youth music initiatives.
  
  

 

Impact

The music curriculum at Dunn Street ensures that pupils:

• Develop knowledge and skills progressively across EYFS–KS2, mastering pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, timbre, texture, notation, and composition.
  
  
• Participate confidently in performances, ensemble work, and composition activities.
  
  
• Experience and enjoy diversity in music, appreciating global traditions, cultural contexts, and historical developments.
  
  
• Demonstrate creativity and expression, using both acoustic and digital tools.
  
  
• Communicate and reflect on music using appropriate musical vocabulary and critical appraisal.
  
  
• Benefit from an inclusive curriculum, ensuring all pupils, including SEND learners, can participate and succeed.
  
  

Measurement of impact includes:

• Pupil voice interviews, reflections, and self-assessment.
  
  
• Observation of performances and practical activities in lessons.
  
  
• Moderation and evaluation of progression in skills and knowledge.
  
  
• Evidence of composition, improvisation, and digital music projects.
  
  
• Uptake and participation in enrichment opportunities, choir, and peripatetic lessons.
  
  
• Reporting to governors and the wider school community through showcases and concerts.
  
  

Overall, pupils leave Dunn Street with a lifelong appreciation of music, practical skills, creativity, and cultural awareness, fully prepared to engage with secondary music education and beyond.

 

music currciulum overview dunn street .pdf