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  1. Home
  2. Curriculum
  3. Subjects
  4. Music

Welcome to Music

Why do we learn music?
Our approach
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6

Why do we learn music?

Our music curriculum at Ark Franklin Primary School aims to inspire self-expression, creativity, and connection with others through music. We want to ignite a lifelong love for music by exposing our students to a range of musical experiences. We want to inspire students to become reflective musicians by listening to and responding to different musical styles, identifying their voices as singers and performers, and composing music.

 

Our approach

At Ark Franklin, we believe that Music is at the heart of our everyday lives. High quality music education is unparalleled in its ability to stimulate personal, emotional and intellectual development and motivate social change. Given the right conditions, we believe that every child can be a musician and enjoy improved life chances as a result.

We provide a progressive, inclusive and practical curriculum through which learners develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to both succeed academically and to enjoy a life-long relationship with music.

Reception

Singing Listening
Sing simple and well-known rhymes, poems and songs in a group. Listen carefully to rhymes and songs, paying attention to how they sound.  
 
Move to music, mirroring the style and sounds.  
Composing Performing
Use basic classroom percussion instruments to express feelings and ideas. 
 
Create collaboratively. 
Engage in music making, performing both solo and in groups.  
Musicianship
Move in time to the music, paying attention to tempo and pitch. 

All Reception subjects Next Reception Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 1

Singing Listening
Sing simple songs, chants and rhymes from memory – singing collectively at the same pitch. 
 
Respond to simple visual directions – counting in, stop, start, louder, softer. 
 
Sing songs with a small range (5 notes, pentatonic songs) 
 
Sing call and response songs – controlling vocal pitch, matching heard pitches with accuracy.
Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces.
Composing Performing
Improvise simple vocal chants using call and response. 
 
Create sound effects and short sequences of sounds in response to stimuli. 
 
Understand the difference between creating a rhythm pattern and a pitch pattern. 
 
Invent, retain and recall short rhythm and pitch patterns. 
 
Explore and invent graphic notation – using symbols to represent music. 
 
Musicianship

Pulse/Beat 

Walk, move and clap to a steady beat with others. 

Respond to a steady beat in recorded and live music.  

Be able to change the speed of the beat in line with changes in the tempo of the music.

Play repeated ostinati to a steady beat.

Rhythm 

Perform short, teacher-led copycat rhythms accurately. 
 
Perform short ostinato while maintaining a steady beat. 
 
Use ROTW to create, retain and perform innovated rhythmic patterns. 

Pitch 

Compare high and low sounds in the school environment. 
 
Recognise the difference between high voices and low voices. 
 

All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 2

Singing Listening
Sing simple songs with a small range with increasing vocal control and accurate pitching. 
 
Demonstrate changes in dynamics and tempo by responding to leader’s directions and visual symbols (crescendo, decrescendo, pause).  
Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces.
Composing Performing
Create music in response to non-musical stimuli. 
 
In partners, improvise, retain and recall simple call and response phrases on untuned percussion. 
 
Record composed pieces using graphic symbols, dot notation and stick notation. 
 
Musicianship

Pulse/Beat 

Understand that the speed of the beat can change, creating a faster or slower pace – tempo. 
 
Mark the beat of a piece with changing tempo and be able to recognise this. 
 
Walk in time to the beat of a piece of music. 
 
Begin to group beats together and identify the strongest beat in a bar. 
 
Identify beat groupings in familiar songs.

Rhythm 

Play and lead copycat rhythms on untuned percussion. 
 
Create rhythms using word-phrases. 
 
Read and respond to and create rhythm patterns using stick notations (crotchets, quaver and crotchet rests) 

Pitch 

Accurately pitch voices from a melody played on a piano, acoustic instrument or backing track (not another voice). 
 
Respond independently to pitch changes, indicating with actions (hands high, hands low) 
 
Recognise dot notation and match it to 3 note tunes played on pitched percussion. 

All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 3

Singing Listening

Sing a widening range of unison songs tunefully and with expressions. 

Perform forte and piano. 

Perform actions confidently and in time to action songs. 

Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces
Composing Performing

Improvisation 

Improvise using voices, tuned and untuned percussion and instruments with a limited note range.  
 
Structure musical ideas into a beginning, middle and end. 
 
Use call and response as a tool to structure musical ideas. 
 
Compose in response to different stimuli (e.g. stories, verse, images and music)

Composition 

Combine known rhythmic notation with letter names to create rising and falling phrases using 3 notes. 
 
Compose song accompaniments on untuned percussion using known rhythms and note values.  

Play and perform melodies using staff notation using a small range (C-E). 

Correctly order phrases using dot notation. 

Individually copy stepwise melodic phrases with accuracy at different speeds (allegro/adagio) 

Musicianship  

Rhythm, Metre and Tempo 

Downbeats 

Fast (allegro) 

Slow (Adagio) 

Pulse 

Beat 

Pitch & Melody 

High 

Low 

Rising 

Falling 

Pitch range do-so 

Structure and Form 

Call and response 

Question phrase 

Answer phrase 

Echo 

Ostinato 

Harmony 

Drone 

Texture 

Unison 

Layered

Solo 

Dynamics and Articulation 

Loud (forte) 

Quiet (piano) 

Instruments and Playing Techniques 

Instruments used in foundation listening. 

Reading Notation 

Introduce the stave, lines and spaces, and clef. 
 
Use dot notation to show higher or lower pitch. 
 
Understand the difference between crotchets and paired quavers. 
 
Link syllables to notes to apply word chants to rhythms. 

All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 4

Singing Listening
Sing a widening range of unison songs tunefully and with expressions. 
 
Perform forte and piano. 
 
Perform actions confidently and in time to action songs. 
Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces
Composing Performing

Improvisation 

Improvise using voices, tuned and untuned percussion and instruments with a limited note range.  
 
Structure musical ideas into a beginning, middle and end. 
 
Use call and response as a tool to structure musical ideas. 
 
Compose in response to different stimuli (e.g. stories, verse, images and music) 

Composition 

Combine known rhythmic notation with letter names to create rising and falling phrases using 3 notes. 
 
Compose song accompaniments on untuned percussion using known rhythms and note values.  

Play and perform melodies using staff notation using a small range (C-E). 

Correctly order phrases using dot notation. 

Individually copy stepwise melodic phrases with accuracy at different speeds (allegro/adagio) 

Musicianship  

Rhythm, Metre and Tempo 

Accelerando 

Rallentando 

Bar 

Metre 

Pitch & Melody 

Pentatonic scale  

Major and minor tonality 

Pitch range do-do 

Structure and Form 

Rounds and partner songs 

Repetition 

Contrast 

Harmony 

Static 

Moving 
 

Texture 

Duet 

Melody 

Accompaniment

Dynamics and Articulation 

Crescendo  

Decrescendo 

Legato 

Staccato 

Instruments and Playing Techniques 

Instruments used in foundation listening including playing techniques. 

Reading Notation 

Understand the difference between minims, crotchets, paired quavers and rests. 
 
Read and perform pitch notation. 
 
Follow and perform simple rhythmic scores to a steady beat. 
 
Maintain individual parts accurately with the rhythmic texture. 

All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 5

Singing Listening
Sing a broad range of songs with a sense of ensemble and performance. 
 
Observe phrasing, accurate pitching and appropriate style. 
 
Sing 3 part rounds, partner songs and songs with a verse and a chorus. 
Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces
Composing Performing

Improvisation 

Improvise freely over a drone using tuned percussion and melodic instruments. 
 
Improvise using a developing sense of shape and character. 
 
Improvise over a simple groove, responding to a beat and creating a satisfying melodic shape. 
 
Experiment with a wider range of dynamics (fortissimo, pianissimo, mezzo forte, mezzo piano).

Composition 

Compose melodies made from pairs of phrases in C major or A minor. 
 
Enhance melodies with rhythmic or chordal accompaniment.  
 
Compose a short ternary piece in pairs. 
 
Use chords to compose music that evokes a specific atmosphere, mood or environment. 
 
Capture and record creative ideas using graphic symbols, rhythm notation and time signatures and staff notation.

Play melodies following staff notation using an octave range, gradually increasing in independence. 
 
Understand how triads are formed and play them on pitched percussion or a melodic instrument to accompany a known song. 
 
Develop the skill of playing  by ear, copying longer phrases and familiar melodies.
Musicianship  

Rhythm, Metre and Tempo 

Simple time 

Compound time 

Syncopation 

Pitch & Melody 

Full diatonic scales 

Different keys 

Structure and Form 

Ternary form 

Verse and chorus form 

Music with multiple sections 

Harmony 

Triads 

Chord progressions 

Texture 

Music in 3 and 4 parts 

Dynamics and Articulation 

Fortissimo 

Pianissimo 

Mezzo forte 

Mezzo piano 
 
Instruments and Playing Techniques 

Instruments used in foundation listening including playing techniques and effects (pizzicato, tremolo) 

Dynamics and Articulation 

Fortissimo 

Pianissimo 

Mezzo forte 

Mezzo piano 
 
Instruments and Playing Techniques 

Instruments used in foundation listening including playing techniques and effects (pizzicato, tremolo) 

Reading Notation 

Understand the difference between semibreves, minims, crotchets, paired quavers, semiquavers and rests. 
 
Understand the difference between 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. 
 
Read and perform pitch notations within an octave. 
 
Sight-read short melodic phrases.

All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Art and Design Technology

Year 6

Singing Listening
Sing a broad range of songs that involve syncopated rhythms. 
 
Observe rhythm, phrasing and accurate pitching in an appropriate style. 
 
Sing 3 and 4 part rounds, positioning singers randomly in a group to develop greater listening skills, vocal independence and balance between parts.
Practice active listening, developing a shared knowledge and understanding of the stories, origins, traditions, history and social context of pieces
Composing Performing
Improvisation 

Create music with multiple sections that include repetition and contrast. 
 
Use chord changes as part of an improvised sequence. 
 
Extend improvised melodies beyond 8 beats over a fixed groove.  
 
Composition 

Plan and compose 8 or 16 beat melodic phrases using the pentatonic scale and incorporate rhythmic variety and interest. 
 
Play and notate composed melodies. 
 
Compose melodies made from pairs of phrases in G major or E minor. 
 
Enhance melodies with rhythmic and chordal accompaniments. 
 
Compose a ternary piece, record it and discuss how musical contrasts are achieved. 
Independently play melodies following staff notation using an octave range. 
 
Make decisions about dynamic range. 
 
Accompany melodies using block chords or a bassline. 
 
Engage with others through ensemble playing.
Musicianship  

Rhythm, Metre and Tempo 

Simple time 

Compound time 

Syncopation 

Pitch & Melody 

Full diatonic scales 

Different keys 

Structure and Form 

Ternary form 

Verse and chorus form 

Music with multiple sections 

Harmony 

Triads 

Chord progressions 

Texture 

Music in 3 and 4 parts 

Dynamics and Articulation 

Fortissimo 

Pianissimo 

Mezzo forte 

Mezzo piano 
 
Instruments and Playing Techniques 

Instruments used in foundation listening including playing techniques and effects (pizzicato, tremolo)

Reading Notation 

Understand the difference between semibreves, minims, crotchets, paired quavers, semiquavers and equivalent rests. 

Read and play confidently from rhythm notation cards and rhythmic scores in up to 4 parts. 

Read and play from notation a four bar phrase, confidently identifying note names and durations.  

All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Art and Design Technology

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