Music is present in our lives wherever we are and it has the ability to enrich our lives as individuals and collectively with others when music is a shared experience whatever the occasion. In school, all children are taught music making and musical appreciation skills, which give them a good musical knowledge and enable them to work creatively, develop their imagination, express their thoughts and feelings and improve their listening skills. Music in the Infants is mainly collaborative and performing with and listening to others has the power to strengthen bonds between them and to forge a sense of community and belonging.

Music is taught using the ‘Sparkyard’ music scheme, which is in line with the expectations laid down in the National Curriculum and incorporates the non-statutory Model Music Curriculum too. All children receive an hour of music tuition per week. This consists of a twenty-minute group session in the morning followed by a whole class forty-minute lesson in the afternoon. The group sessions are in year groups so that the content is age-appropriate and allows the children to work in a small supportive environment. The curriculums for each year group are carefully blended and the afternoon lesson brings each group’s work together and builds on what they have done. Assessment is ongoing through teacher observations and discussions with the children and lessons are adapted accordingly.

In addition to specific music lessons, music is often part of the children’s learning in other curriculum areas. For example, songs to help learn mathematical concepts, instruments to accompany poetry recitals, music and movement lessons and sound investigations in science. Singing is also an integral part of our collective worship and sometimes we just sing because it is a joyful thing to do.