Music
Theological Underpinning
In song and in music we give our praises to God and lift our hearts to the Lord. In singing and playing instruments in a congregation we give fully of ourselves and combine as one powerful body in Christ. In music we express our thanks to and love for God loudly and with pride. But music also allows us to express our quieter and more personal thoughts to God, perhaps through listening as much as other means. Music can bring alive the word of God, as we see so often in the Psalms. Instrumental music can also reach further than any word often can; it can sum up feelings about oneself and one’s place in the world and emotions from joy to sorrow, which are often hard to articulate. Music is one of God’s most precious gifts – it can embody the Spirit and be with us when we need the presence of God.
NC Programme of Study Aims
The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:
- perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
- learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
- understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.
Curriculum
Music is central to life at All Saints'. The building bricks are laid in Nursery with music: instruments being available daily in the outside area; the children sing together and a variety of music is listened to. From Reception to Year 6, weekly lessons are taught in line with the New Curriculum. Class music consists of: singing, composing, listening and performing. An emphasis is placed on performance with many opportunities utilised throughout the liturgical year, e.g. the nursery nativity, EYFS/KS1 nativity, summer concert, assemblies and church services.
Every child from Year 5 upwards learns the recorder in their class music lesson. Children have the opportunity to learn the violin in Year 3 and Year 4.
Extra-curricular music includes a KS2 choir and a ukulele club. An Orff ensemble and Recorder Club run on an ad hoc basis.
Music in the community is also important and embraced at All Saints'. The choir have sung at the Wandsworth Mayor's Charity Carol Concert and to elderly parishioners.
The children have regular opportunities to listen to live music and visit the LSO school concerts at the Barbican.
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