Music at St Thomas More: 

At our school, music is taught in weekly blocks across all year groups, ensuring that every child receives a consistent and progressive musical education. Lessons are carefully structured to cover the National Curriculum for Music, alongside the model music curriculum, while also inspiring children to develop creativity, confidence, and a lifelong enjoyment of music.

Catholic Social Teaching

The purpose of incorporating Catholic Social Teaching into music lessons is to foster an environment where students not only develop musical skills but also grow in their understanding of social responsibility and moral values. Through music, we aim to:

• Promote human dignity by encouraging every student to express themselves creatively and respectfully.
• Build solidarity by engaging in collaborative music-making that values each person’s contribution.
• Support the common good by selecting repertoire and activities that celebrate cultural diversity and promote unity.
• Encourage care for creation by exploring themes of stewardship and harmony in music.

This approach ensures that music education becomes a holistic experience, nurturing both artistic talent and ethical awareness.

Curriculum Themes: 

To make learning meaningful and engaging, music is taught through themes that link to wider topics in the curriculum. Examples include:

Music Through History – exploring how music has developed from ancient times to the present day, including key composers and movements.

Genres of Music – listening to and performing music from jazz, classical, pop, folk, and world traditions, helping children appreciate diversity and cultural heritage.

Seasonal and Cultural Links – celebrating festivals and events through songs and performances.

Weekly Blocks:

Each class has a dedicated weekly music block, providing enough time for active participation, rehearsal, and reflection. Learning is progressive across the year groups, ensuring that children revisit key skills while also being introduced to new challenges and concepts. Blocks often culminate in a sharing performance or recorded outcome, allowing children to showcase their progress.

Impact:

By the end of primary school, pupils will have experienced a rich and varied musical journey. They will leave St Thomas More with the ability to:

Sing and play with confidence.

Recognise and discuss music from a wide range of styles and cultures.

Use composition and notation skills to express their own ideas.

Appreciate the role of music in history, society, and everyday life

The DfE’s Model Music Curriculum 2021 states that: ‘In Years 3 or 4, it is recommended that each class should start a whole-class instrumental programme lasting a minimum of one term...Opportunities for development should continue beyond the mandatory term.’ This year, children in Years 2, 3, 4 and 5 learn an instrument as a whole-class ensemble taught by expert music specialists from Gloucestershire Music Service. Each project lasts 10 weeks and can culminate in a concert where children perform songs and pieces together to parents.

SEND:

We strive to remove barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. Adopting a positive and proactive approach will ensure that children with SEND are able to express themselves and take an active part in lessons. Explicit instructions and scaffolding will enable all pupils to achieve and succeed in music.

Resources:

We have a central store which includes large percussion instruments including xylophones, a class set of glockenspiels, a range of other percussion instruments, a class set of recorders, a range of drums, keyboard & a piano, Guitars, Music books for recorders, Songbooks and Christmas Production packs, CDs.

Partnerships:

Gloucestershire Music -This music hub provides our whole-class ensemble specialist teachers and instruments for the 10-week course in Years 2, 3, 4, 5. As a Music Mark school we work closely with our hub to ensure we can offer the best possible music opportunities for our children.

We also work with a variety of organisations that provide workshops that have a Music focus as well as providing wellbeing benefits. Stand by Me Singing workshop with one year group (Year 5) - In partnership with Monkscroft care home.

2023 - 2024

Links with the Community

Recently, as part of the Music provision in Year 5 and Year 6 the class worked on a project organised by the London Sinfonietta, taking part in a competition to produce compositions. One of which was chosen to be played by the Orchestra in their Summer performance. 

Our Year 5 pupils have also taken part in a collaborative singing project 'Stand By Me' where they participate in a singing group in a local care home, singing well known songs.