Music is a powerful medium for communication between people of different ages, cultures, social backgrounds and abilities. The art of music is the aesthetic organisation of sound using the elements of rhythm, pitch, dynamics, timbre and texture, within a variety of structures.

There is evidence to show that musical skills are transferable, promoting cognitive and physical development and evoking profound emotional response.

Music is an integral part of daily life and routines of the pupils at Parkhead Primary School. It gives an aural and kinaesthetic punctuation to the day, helping to define routines such as greetings, time to sit together, tidying away, dinner and the end of the day. It is a fully inclusive activity, allowing all the pupils to participate regardless of ability. It is used as a powerful agent of non-verbal communication, co-operation and pleasure. It is a vital tool to language development.

Pupils who find spoken language difficult may chant or sing in a language far more complex than language that they can construct themselves. Similarly, mathematical skills such as pattern making, counting and grouping are more easily learned through song and rhythm. Pupils can identify more with school and behaviour can improve when music is a strong part of daily life.

Successful participation in music develops pupils’ self-esteem, confidence and learning skills. It promotes teamwork, turn-taking, sense of leadership and allows cross-curricular learning. It is an effective medium for self-expression, engenders enjoyment, enhances co-operative working and promotes a sense of community.

Above all, pupils at Parkhead Primary School should gain delight, enjoyment, satisfaction and a love of music by becoming involved in its language and literature.

Intent
At Parkhead Primary School we aim to:

• Ensure that all pupils perform, listen to, review and evaluate music
• Ensure that pupils are taught to sing, create and compose music
• Ensure that pupils understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated
• Help children gain a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analyzing and composing across a wide variety of historical periods, styles, traditions, and musical genres
• Develop a curiosity for the subject, as well as an understanding and acceptance of the validity and importance of all types of music, and an unbiased respect for the role that music may wish to be expressed in any person’s life
• Ensure children understand the value and importance of music in the wider community, and are able to use their musical skills, knowledge, and experiences to involve themselves in music, in a variety of different contexts.

Implementation
The music curriculum ensures students sing, listen, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as the weekly singing assemblies, various concerts and performances, the learning of instruments, and the joining of one of our many musical ensembles.

The elements of music are taught in the classroom lessons so that children are able to use some of the language of music to dissect it, and understand how it is made, played, appreciated and analyzed. In KS2 students learn how to play an instrument, from one of the main instrument groups of wind, strings, percussion or keyboards. In doing so they understand the different principle of each method of creating notes, as well as how to read basic music notation. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music.

Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.

Impact
Whilst in school, children have access to a varied programme, which allows students to discover areas of strength, as well as areas they might like to improve upon.

The integral nature of music and the learner creates an enormously rich palette from which a student may access fundamental abilities such as: achievement, self-confidence, interaction with and awareness of others, and self-reflection.

Music will also develop an understanding of culture and history, both in relation to students individually, as well as ethnicities from across the world. Children are able to enjoy music, in as many ways as they choose- either as listener, creator or performer. They can dissect music and comprehend its parts. They can sing and feel a pulse. They have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them, should they ever develop an interest in their lives.