Our Music Curriculum at CPS

From September 2022, CPS has a brand new, bespoke Music Curriculum, which maximises our extensive instrumental resources in our Music Room and is adapted for each class in the school as they progress through it. Our Music curriculum is built upon the DfE's Model Music Curriculum 2021, the 2022 National Plan for Music Education, 'The Power of Music to Change Lives' and Ofsted's Music Subject Review 2023 'Striking the Right Note'.  As they progress through the school, every pupil will experience, analyse and recreate music styles from throughout history and around the world; record music in writing using a variety of methods including staff notation; receive multiple opportunities to perform throughout their CPS career individually and within ensemble groups; and both improvise and compose extensively using voice and a variety of instruments.

An overview of each year group’s learning is attached below, along with the week-by-week learning progression throughout the year.

Weekly Whole Class Music Tuition

At CPS, we believe foundation subjects such as music and drama play a significant role in nurturing pupils' academic success across the whole curriculum. Current research in primary education offers support to this theory, and it is a view endorsed by the DfE in their use of practitioners employing music-centered schemes of education in a consultative capacity.

All classes from Year 1 upwards have a 45-minute Music lesson weekly throughout the year with a specialist primary music teacher, following a spiral progression commencing with discovering the basic elements of music-making in Year 1 and 2, through to developing these in the context of playing an instrument and discovering musical genres at Key Stage 2.

Whole Class Instrumental Ensemble Work

Throughout Key Stage 2, we offer progressive Whole Class Ensemble Tuition delivered by our own music specialist: pupils learn the recorder at Year 3; the junior saxophone at Year 4; the glockenspiel and keyboard family at Year 5 and the ukulele at Year 6.

Music & Drama Enrichment: Beyond the Curriculum

In addition to the above, every class receives an additional 75 minutes of Music & Drama enrichment weekly for the duration of one half-term during the year. At Key Stage 1, this involves specialising in an instrument (Handbells at Year 1; Djembe drumming at Year 2), whilst at Key Stage 2, this focusses on drama and musical theatre skills, linking to the English curriculum and School's Voice 21 oracy status, as well as building self-esteem, confidence, articulation and self-expression. Every enrichment block culminates in a concluding performance to parents, carers and friends.

Singing Assemblies

Every pupil also experiences a weekly singing assembly with material appropriate to their key stage. Alongside numerous traditional songs, we sing many bespoke songs written especially for our pupils, including celebrating our school values and learning environments. Senior pupils are often involved in composing the music and lyrics for these songs.

Music Champions

In Year 6, we have eight Music and Drama Champions, whose varied role includes leading singing assemblies and clubs for younger children; accompanying songs on the piano; caring for the Music Room and its resources; performing administrative and organisational roles for clubs and activities; and taking a lead role in presenting and narrating music and drama performances throughout the year. You will be able to spot our Music Champions from their distinctive treble clef badges!

 

Extra-Curricular Clubs and Opportunities

To expand on our curriculum, pupils at Claygate can also attend one of our lunchtime or after school clubs – our Key Stage 2 Choir has performed at the OVO Wembley Arena, Dorking Halls, the Claygate Flower Show, the Village Christmas Lights Switch On and even taken part in a day at a recording studio, leading to a release of a new song to celebrate the life of Jane Goodall. Our Year 6 Music Champions are strongly involved in the KS1 choir, leading music games and warm-ups, and modelling good singing practice. This helps to create a real sense of connection between our oldest and youngest pupils, fostering musical ambition and aspiration. Our after school instrumental club offers Ukulele tuition, focusing on chords and strumming patterns as well as encouraging members to sing and accompany themselves.

Our pupils experience live orchestral performances at the Royal Festival Hall and drama workshops at local senior schools, and we also stage our own Year 6 Summer production, in which every pupil is invested, involved and invited to perform!

Individual Musical Instrument Lessons

1:1 Instrumental tuition is available to pupils through Surrey Arts and other well-qualified local tutors in a range of instruments including piano, drums and guitar. Please enquire at the school office or ask our Music Teacher for more information. For details of current music and drama clubs, please visit the Extra Curricular Activities page on our website. We hope to welcome you to one of our many music and drama performances soon, and if you have an existing pupil at CPS, please do encourage them to sign up to clubs and take part in the rich, musical life of our school.

Our provision of music and drama has been recognised by Surrey Arts with the award of Music Mark status continuously since 2022.

'Pupils benefit from an exceptionally wide range of clubs and enrichment activities.'   Ofsted 2023