Music

Music Intent Statement

Intent:

Music is a subject that all children can access, regardless of their prior experiences. It is a unique form of communication and provides an important medium to help children understand themselves, relate to others and the wider world. Music develops listening skills, self-discipline and creativity. At Peel Common Primary School we want to foster a lifelong love of music in children and help children to recognise themselves as musical by focusing on developing their skills as performers, composers, and listeners. Our intent is to provide a holistic and engaging learning journey from EYFS to Year 6. We introduce children to music from across the world, encouraging respect and appreciation for the music of all traditions and communities. Our music curriculum aims to build on prior musical skills through singing, playing tuned and untuned instruments, improvising, composing and listening and responding to music. Our children will develop an understanding of the historical and cultural context of the music they encounter and learn how music can be notated. Our curriculum also helps children to develop transferable skills, including teamwork, leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making and presentation and performance abilities. These skills are integral to children’s development as learners and have wide application in their lives beyond school.

Implementation:

At Peel Common Primary School, music is planned using the KAPOW scheme of work which has been developed using the EYFS curriculum and the National Curriculum. KAPOW Primary’s music curriculum offers mixed-age and condensed schemes of work which fulfil the statutory requirements for Music outlined in the National Curriculum. Kapow Primary’s music curriculum has been structured with five strands running through each unit. The strands ensure balanced coverage of the different areas of Music and that both substantive and disciplinary aspects are covered. The strands are:

Listening and evaluating.
Creating sound.
Notation.
Improvising and composing
Performing – singing and playing.

We promote the love of singing and performances in our school through singing assemblies, inviting a military band into school, class assemblies, nativity performances and a Y6 leavers performance performed to parents. Our performances and productions give all of our children the opportunity to learn, practice and perform songs to a live audience. Assembly songs are linked to a variety of annual celebrations, festivals and times of the year such as Harvest, Christmas, Remembrance, Easter and Spring.

Each year a combination of skills are taught in units by class teachers following the KAPOW Primary Music scheme of work. In the early years, children are taught a unit every half term, in our KS1 classrooms music is taught four times a year and in our KS2 classrooms music is taught three times a year. Key skills and knowledge are embedded through a carefully sequenced music curriculum that covers specific units within the KAPOW Primary Music curriculum. Our music scheme outlines how these skills are developed to enable pupils to reach the end-of-key-stage outcomes outlined in the National curriculum. New learning is weighted toward the beginning of each key stage, allowing for regular opportunities to revisit, consolidate and apply it in subsequent years. As a result, knowledge and skill development may appear more concentrated in some year groups than others.

Impact

The expected impact from following the KAPOW Primary Music scheme of work is that children will:

Enjoy music in many ways- either as a listener, creator or performer. They will discuss music and understand its parts. They will further develop these skills in the future and continue to enjoy and embrace music in their lives and once their time ends at Peel Common Primary School.

Be confident performers, composers and listeners who will be able to express themselves musically at and beyond school.

Show an appreciation and respect for a wide range of musical styles from around the world and will understand how music is influenced by the wider cultural, social and historical contexts in which it is developed.

Understand the various ways in which music can be written down to support performing and composing activities.

Demonstrate and articulate an enthusiasm for music and be able to identify their own personal preferences.

Experience a well-structured and progressive curriculum that supports curriculum progression across each year group as well as a coherent and consistent teaching approach.

Meet end of Key Stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for music.

Engage in rich opportunities to develop oracy, particularly through singing, group performances and musical discussion. They will learn to control their voice, adjusting pitch, dynamics and tone to sing expressively and clearly; an essential foundation for spoken communication. Through activities such as evaluating performances, discussing musical choices and exploring the meaning behind lyrics or compositions, they will develop their ability to articulate opinions, justify decisions and engage in collaborative dialogue.

Progression of skills from EYFS to Year 6

At Peel Common Primary School we use the KAPOW scheme approach to music. Through KAPOW, we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and the National Curriculum guidance for music. KAPOW offers guidance and support through planning and instruction for teachers who may not be specialists in the area of music This is an overview of the skills covered in each year group and strand and how these skills are developed through the Music scheme of work KAPOW. This document shows the skills covered in each year group from EYFS to Year 6 and the units that focus on developing those skills. Opportunities to recognise and apply the inter-related dimensions of music run throughout each of the strands and scheme of work and are highlighted in red in this document.

*Progression of skills*			Listening and Evaluating
	EYFS	EYFS Development Matters	Year 1	Year 2	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 1
Listening and responding to music	Listening appropriately to someone leading a short musical phrase, song or rhyme. Exploring spontaneous movement with different parts of their body in response to music. Expressing different spontaneous emotional reactions to music (smiling, movement, body language). Using artwork or creative play as a way of expressing feelings and responses to music.	Children in reception will be learning to: -Listen attentively, move to and talk about music, expressing their feelings and responses.	Listening with concentration to short pieces of music or excerpts from longer pieces of music Engaging with and responding to longer pieces of music		Pupils should be taught to: -Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.
			Co-ordinating the speed of their movements to match the speed of the music (not the beat). Beginning to move in time with the beat of the music Beginning to articulate how a piece of music affects them (e.g. it makes them feel sleepy, it makes them want to dance, it makes them happy)	Confidently moving in time with the beat of the music when modelled. Beginning to keep movements to the beat of the different speeds of music. Beginning to explain why the music has a certain effect on them, which could be related to the music or a personal experience.
Analysing	Identifying and imitating sounds from a variety of music. Considering whether background music and sound effects can enhance storytelling.		Identifying some common instruments when listening to the music Relating sounds in music to real-world experiences (e.g. it sounds like squelching mud). Recognising simple patterns and repetition in rhythm (e.g. where a pattern of beats is repeated). Recognising simple patterns and repetition in pitch (e.g. do re mi). Talking about the tempo of music using the vocabulary of fast and slow. Talking about the dynamics of the music, using the vocabulary of loud, quiet and silent. Talking about the pitch of music, using the vocabulary of high and low.
Evaluating	Showing preferences for certain music or sounds.		Stating what they enjoyed about their peers’ performances. Giving positive feedback relating to the tempo of practices and performances using the vocabulary of fast and slow Giving positive feedback related to the dynamics of practices and performances, using the vocabulary of loud, quiet and silent.
Cultural and historical awareness of music	Listening to music from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.		Appreciating music from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.
			To recognise and name the following instruments: up to three instruments from Group A and B. To know that sections of music can be described as fast or slow and the meaning of these terms To know that sections of music can be described as loud, quiet or silent and the meaning of these terms. To know that sounds within music can be described as high or low sounds and the meaning of these terms.

*Progression of skills*			Listening and Evaluating
	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2
Listening and responding to music	Explaining their preferences for a piece of music using musical vocabulary.		Understanding the impact music has on them and starting to articulate the reasons for this effect using musical vocabulary.		Pupils should be taught to: -Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory. -Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians.
Analysing	Discussing the stylistic features of different genres, styles and traditions of music using musical vocabulary. Understanding that music from different parts of the world, and different times, has different features. Recognising and explaining the changes within a piece of music using musical vocabulary. Describing the timbre, dynamic, and textural details of a piece of music, both verbally, and through movement. Beginning to show an awareness of metre.	Recognising the use and development of motifs in music. Identifying gradual dynamic and tempo changes within a piece of music. Identifying common features between different genres, styles and traditions of music. Recognising, naming and explaining the effect of the interrelated dimensions of music. Identifying scaled dynamics (crescendo/decrescendo) within a piece of music. Using musical vocabulary to discuss the purpose of a piece of music.	Recognising and confidently discussing the stylistic features of different genres, styles and traditions of music using musical vocabulary. (South African, West African, Musical, Theatre, Blues, Dance Remix.). Representing the features of a piece of music using graphic notation, and colours, justifying their choices with reference to musical vocabulary.	Discussing musical eras in context, identifying how they have influenced each other, and discussing the impact of different composers on the development of musical styles. Recognising and confidently discussing the stylistic features of music and relating it to other aspects of the Arts (Pop art, Film music). Representing changes in pitch, dynamics and texture using graphic notation, justifying their choices with reference to musical vocabulary. Identifying the way that features of a song can complement one another to create a coherent overall effect.
Evaluating	Beginning to use musical vocabulary (related to the inter-related dimensions of music) when discussing improvements to their own and others’ work.	Using musical vocabulary (related to the inter-related dimensions of music) when discussing improvements to their own and others’ work.	Comparing, discussing and evaluating music using detailed musical vocabulary. Developing confidence in using detailed musical vocabulary (related to the inter-related dimensions of music) to discuss and evaluate their own and others’ work.	Use musical vocabulary correctly when describing and evaluating the features of a piece of music. Evaluating how the venue, occasion and purpose affects the way a piece of music sounds. Confidently using detailed musical vocabulary (related to the inter-related dimensions of music) to discuss and evaluate their own and others work.
Cultural and historical awareness of music	Understanding that music from different times has different features.	Recognising and discussing the stylistic features of different genres, styles and traditions of music using musical vocabulary.	Confidently discussing the stylistic features of different genres, styles and traditions of music and explaining how these have developed over time.	Discussing musical eras in context, identifying how they have influenced each other, and discussing the impact of different composers on the development of musical styles.

*Progression of skills*			Creating Sound
	EYFS	EYFS Development Matters	Year 1	Year 2	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 1
Singing repertoire	Singing short, rhythmic rhymes and songs,	Children in reception will be learning to: -Sing in a group or on their own increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody. -Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups.	Singing simple songs, chants and rhymes from memory. Practicing singing songs with a wider pitch range (e.g. pentatonic melodies) which is gradually getting higher or lower. Competently singing songs with a very small pitch range (two notes that are different but close together).		Pupils should be taught to: -Play tuned and untuned instruments musically. .
Singing technique	Using both speaking and singing voices. Unconsciously beginning to sing to the pulse of a song. Exploring vowel sounds through call and response activities.		Breathing at appropriate times when singing.
			Exploring changing their singing voice in different ways.	Singing a range of call and response chants, matching the dynamic and tempo they hear with accuracy. Singing part of a given song in their head (using their ‘thinking voice’).
Instruments	Exploring different ways of making sound with everyday objects and instruments (Groups A, B and C) Exploring different ways of holding a range of instruments (Groups A, B and C). Using instruments expressively to music (Group B). Using instruments to begin to follow a beat, with guidance. (Group A).		Developing an awareness of how sound is affected by the way an instrument is held (Groups A, B and C). Developing an awareness of how dynamics are affected by the force with which an instrument is played (Groups A, B and C). Learning to use instruments to follow the beat by first observing and then mimicking the teacher’s modelling (Group A). Using instruments imaginatively to create soundscapes which convey a sense of place (Group B). Using bilateral and hand-eye co-ordination to play/hold instruments using both hands (Group A). Starting to understand and how to produce different sounds on pitched instruments (Group C)
Posture	Finding a comfortable static sitting position when playing instruments or singing.		Maintaining a comfortable position when sitting or standing to sing and play instruments.

*Progression of skills*			Notation
	EYFS	EYFS Development Matters	Year 1	Year 2	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 1
Understanding notation	Not applicable to early years	The Development Matters Non-Statutory guidance has no statements related to notation of music.	Reading different types of notation by moving eyes from left to right as sound occurs. To know that notation is read from left to right.		The National Curriculum attainment targets for Key Stage 1 do not refer to music notation. However, introducing musical notation in KS1 will help pupils to understand notation as a way to communicate pitch and duration of notes before they start learning more about staff notation in Key Stage 2.
Representing pitch	Developing an awareness of high and low through pictorial representation of sound.		Using pictorial representation to stay in time with the pulse when singing or playing.	To know that in all pictorial representations of music, representations further up the page are higher sounds and those further down are lower sounds.
Representing rhythm	Developing an awareness of how simple marks or objects can show single beats and single beat rests.		Confidently reading simple rhythmic patterns compromising of one beat sounds (crotchets) and one beat rests (crotchet rests)

*Progression of skills*			Notation
	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2
Understanding notation	To understand that 'reading' music means using how the written note symbols look and their position to know what notes to play.	To know that ‘performance directions’ are words added to music notation to tell the performers how to play.	To know that simple pictures can be used to represent the structure (organisation) of music. To understand that in written staff notation, notes can go on or between lines, and that the lines show the pitch of the note.	To know that 'graphic notation' means writing music down using your choice of pictures or symbols but 'staff notation' means music written more formally on the special lines called 'staves'. To know that chord progressions are represented in music by Roman numerals.	Pupils should be taught to: -Use and understand staff and other musical notations. -.
Representing pitch and rhythm	Using letter name and rhythmic notation (graphic or staff), and key musical vocabulary to label and record their compositions. Performing from basic staff notation, incorporating rhythm and pitch and able to identify these symbols using musical terminology.	Using letter name, graphic and rhythmic notation and musical vocabulary to label and record their compositions.	Using staff notation to record rhythms and melodies.	Recording own composition using appropriate forms of notation and/or technology and incorporating the inter-related dimensions of music. Performing with accuracy and fluency from graphic and staff notation and from their own notation.

*Progression of skills*			Improvising and composing
	EYFS	EYFS Development Matters	Year 1	Year 2	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 1
Stimulus and purpose	Exploring and imitating sounds from their environment and in response to events in stories.	Children in reception will be learning to: -Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings. -Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups.	Creating sound responses to a variety of physical stimuli such as, nature, artwork and stories.		Pupils should be taught to: -Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the interrelated dimensions of music.
Improvising	Exploring and imitating sounds.		Improvising simple question and answer phrases, using untuned percussion or voices.
Creating and selecting sounds	Experimenting with creating sound in different ways using instruments, body percussion and voices. Selecting classroom objects to use as instruments. Selecting sounds that make them feel a certain way or remind them of something.		Experimenting with creating different sounds using a single instrument. Experimenting with creating loud, soft, high and low sounds. Selecting objects and instruments to create sounds to represent a given idea or character.	Experimenting with adapting rhythmic patterns by changing either the dynamics, tempo or instrument. Selecting and creating short sequences of sound with voices or instruments to represent a given idea or character.
Sequencing	Playing sounds at the relevant point in a storytelling.		Playing and combining sounds under the direction of a leader (the teacher).	Working collaboratively to combine different sounds by either turn-taking or by playing sounds at the same time.

*Progression of skills*			Improvising and composing
	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2
Stimulus and purpose	Composing a piece of music in a given style with voices and instruments (Battle Song, Indian Classical, Jazz, Swing).	Composing a coherent piece of music in a given style with voices, bodies and instruments.	Composing a detailed piece of music from a given stimulus with voices, bodies and instruments (Remix, Colours, Stories, Drama).	Composing a multi-layered piece of music from a given stimulus with voices, bodies and Instruments.	Pupils should be taught to: -Develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory.
Improvising	Beginning to improvise musically within a given style using their voice.	Beginning to improvise musically within a given style using an instrument.	Improvising coherently within a given style.	Improvising coherently and creatively within a given style, incorporating given features.
Creating and selecting sounds	Suggesting and implementing improvements to their own work, using musical vocabulary.	Developing melodies using rhythmic variation, transposition, inversion, and looping.	Selecting, discussing and refining musical choices both alone and with others, using musical vocabulary with confidence. Suggesting and demonstrating improvements to own and others’ work.	Developing melodies using rhythmic variation, transposition and changes in dynamics, pitch and texture. Constructively critique their own and others’ work, using musical vocabulary.
Sequencing	Combining melodies and rhythms to compose a multi-layered composition in a given style (pentatonic).	Creating a piece of music with at least four different layers and a clear structure.	Combining rhythmic patterns (ostinato) into a multi-layered composition using all the inter-related dimensions of music to add musical interest.	Composing an original song, incorporating lyric writing, melody writing and the composition of accompanying features, within a given structure.

*Progression of skills*			Performing
	EYFS	EYFS Development Matters	Year 1	Year 2	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 1
Understanding and evaluating performance	Beginning to say what they liked about others’ performances.	Children in reception will be learning to: -Watch and talk about dance and performance art, expressing their feelings and responses. -Sing in a group or on their own, increasingly matching the pitch and following the melody.	Offering positive feedback on others’ performances.		Pupils should be taught to: -Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes -Play tuned and untuned instruments musically.
Awareness of music	Not applicable to early years.		Starting to maintain a steady beat throughout short singing performances.
Awareness of self	Facing the audience when performing. Spontaneously expressing feelings around performing.		Keeping instruments still until their part in the performance.	Standing or sitting appropriately when performing or waiting to perform. Beginning to acknowledge their own feelings around performance.
Awareness of others	Performing actively as part of a group. Demonstrating being a good audience member, by looking, listening and maintaining attention.		Performing actively as part of a group, keeping in time with the beat. Showing awareness of leader particularly when starting or ending a piece.	Performing actively as a group, clearly keeping in time with the beat. Following a leader to start and end a piece appropriately.

*Progression of skills*			Performing
	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6	National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2
Understanding and evaluating performance	Offering constructive feedback on others’ performances.		Using musical vocabulary to offer constructive and precise feedback on others’ performances.		Pupils should be taught to: -Sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. -Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
Awareness of music	Singing songs in a variety of musical styles with accuracy and control, demonstrating developing vocal technique.	Singing longer songs in a variety of musical styles from memory, with accuracy, control, fluency and a developing sense of expression including control of subtle dynamic changes. Playing melody parts on tuned instruments with accuracy and control and developing instrumental technique. Playing syncopated rhythms with accuracy, control and fluency.	Singing songs in two or more parts, in a variety of musical styles from memory, with accuracy, fluency, control and expression. Playing a simple chord progression with accuracy and fluency.	Singing songs in two or more secure parts from memory, with accuracy, fluency, control and expression. Performing by following a conductor’s cues and directions.
Awareness of self and others	Singing and playing in time with peers, with some degree of accuracy and awareness of their part in the group performance.	Singing and playing in time with peers with accuracy and awareness of their part in the group performance.	Working as a group to perform a piece of music, adjusting dynamics and pitch according to a graphic score, keeping in time with others and communicating with the group.	Working as a group to perform a piece of music, adjusting the interrelated dimensions of music as required, keeping in time with others and communicating with the group. Performing a solo or taking a leadership role within a performance.

Music Year Group Curriculum Overview 2025/2026

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2

EYFS

Hazel Class

Exploring Sound

Exploring how to use our voice and bodies to make sounds, experimenting with tempo and dynamic when playing instruments and identifying sounds in the environment.

Celebration Music

Learning about the music from a range of cultural and religious celebrations, including Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas.

Musical Stories

A unit based on traditional children’s tales and songs, where pupils learn that music and instruments can be used to convey moods or represent characters.

Transport

Using their voices, bodies and instruments to explore different types of transport, identify and mimic transport sounds and interpret and perform a simple score.

Music and Movement

Creating simple actions to songs, learning how to move to a beat and expressing feelings and emotions through movement to music.

Big Band

Learning about the four different groups of musical instruments, following a beat using an untuned instrument and performing a practised song to a small audience.

Year 1

Cherry Tree

Keeping the pulse

(My Favourite Things)

In this unit, children explore keeping the pulse together through music and movement, by exploring their favourite things.

Christmas songs and performance

Sound Patterns

(Fairytales)

This unit uses fairytales to introduce children to the concept of sound patterns (rhythms). They explore clapping along to repeated words and phrases, creating rhythmic patterns to tell a familiar fairytale.

Dynamics

(Seaside)

In this unit, children make links between music, sounds and environments and use percussion, vocal and body sounds to represent the seaside.

Musical Symbols

(Under the sea)

In this unit, the children combine all the musical concepts learned throughout Year 1 for an underwater-themed performance incorporating instrumental, vocal and body sounds.

Year 2

Oak Class

Call and response

(Animals)

In this unit, the children use instruments to represent animals, copying rhythms and creating call and response rhythms.

Christmas songs and performance

Contrasting dynamics

(Space)

This unit helps children with developing knowledge and understanding of dynamics using instruments; learning to compose and play rhythms to represent planets.

Singing

(On this island)

In this unit, the children learn folk songs and create sounds to represent three contrasting landscapes: seaside, countryside and city.

Instruments

(Musical story telling)

In this unit, children learn how events, actions and feelings within stories can be represented by pitch, dynamics and tempo)

Year 3

Silver Birch Class

Creating compositions

(Mountains)

Learning to tell stories through music. Listening to music and considering the narrative it could represent. Paying close attention to the dynamics, pitch and tempo and how they change. Creating original compositions to match an animation, building up layers of texture.

Christmas songs and performance

Jazz

Learning about ragtime style music, traditional jazz and scat singing. Children create a jazz motif using a swung rhythm.

Traditional instruments and improvisation

(India)

Children listen to a range of rag and tal music, identifying traditional instruments as well as creating their own improvisations and performing as a class.

Year 4

Sycamore Class

Changes in pitch, tempo and dynamics

(Rivers)

Learning to listen to changes in pitch, tempo and dynamics and relate it to something tangible and familiar. Linking to their geography learning, the pupils represent different stages of the river through vocal and percussive ostinatos, culminating in a final group performance.

Christmas songs and performance

Adapting and transposing motifs

(Romans)

Drawing upon their understanding of repeating patterns in music, pupils are introduced to the concept of motifs.

Haiku, music and performance

(Hanami Festival)

This Japanese inspired topic looks at the springtime festival of Hanami, which celebrates the fleeting beauty of spring flowers. Children use descriptive vocabulary to create a Haiku, put it to music and finally add percussion sound effects to bring all elements together before a final, group performance.

Year 5

Maple Class

Composition and notation

(Musical Theatre)

Children learn how singing, acting, and dancing combine to create an overall performance.

Christmas songs and performance

Blues

Children are introduced to this famous genre of music and its history, and learn to identify the key features and mood of Blues music and its importance and purpose. They also get to grips with the 12-bar Blues and the Blues scale, and combine these to create an improvised piece with a familiar, repetitive backing.

Looping and remixing

In this engaging topic, children learn about how dance music is created, focusing particularly on the use of loops.

Year 6

Hawthorn Class

Baroque

Exploring the music and composers of the Baroque Period and investigating the structural and stylistic features of their work.

Christmas songs and performance

Film music

Exploring and identifying the characteristics of film music. Creating a composition and graphic score to perform alongside a film.

Composing and performing a leavers song

Children spend the topic creating their very own leavers’ song personal to their experiences as a class.