Music Development Plan

Music Development Pla n for St. Margaret’s Collier Street CE Primary School

Overview

Detail	Information
Academic year that this summary covers	2023-24
Date this summary was published	July 24
Date this summary will be reviewed	July 25
Name of the school music lead	Paul Ryan. Headteacher
Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different)
Name of local music hub	Kent Music School
Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place)

This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our pupils across three areas – curriculum music, music tuition, choirs and ensembles and musical experiences – and what changes we are planning in future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education.

Part A: Curriculum music

This is about what we teach in lesson time, how much time is spent teaching music and any music qualifications or awards that pupils can achieve.

St. Margaret’s is proud of the music provision in place. Each week, the Music Lead and a teacher from Kent Music leads a 30-minute session for the whole school. This session covers singing, appraising music including individual performances across a range of instruments as well as the reinforcement of musical terminology, control, pitch, rhythm and conducting.

We are fortunate to have a classroom dedicated to music where children can practice. The room includes a wide range of percussion instruments, guitars, keyboards and an electric piano. Pupils are entered for examinations by our 2 music teachers. Their achievements are shared with the whole school.

Please see separate plans on our website for the music provision for each class. In addition to the whole school input, Music is timetabled for an additional 30 minutes in Foundation, KS1 and upper KS2 each week. In lower KS2, each year group receive a 30-minute weekly lesson throughout the year on the flute from an external private teacher. Upper KS2 pupils have the opportunity to continue to learn the flute receiving a 30-minute lesson per week, funded by the school. Please see the SEND tab on our website for further information ensuring access for all. We work alongside Kent Music which includes the instrumental lessons for Years 3 and 4.

Part B: Music tuition, choirs and ensembles

This is about opportunities for pupils to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, and how pupils can make progress in music beyond the core curriculum.

Pupils have the opportunity to receive lessons for a number of instruments including the piano, recorder, flute and a range of brass. In order to make these as accessible as possible, parents can opt for lesson in groups, therefore reducing the cost.

We have a well-established choir which comprises about 30 pupils from Years 3 -6. The choir often perform at the end of term services in the church. They also work towards Young Voices at the O2 as well as concerts which take place with other local small primary schools. The most recent was held in Spring 2023 when the schools performed a number of songs from Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat at St. Margaret’s Church.

As a small school, we utilise individual staff/parental skills and talents as available. During the 2022/23 academic year, we had a weekly orchestra available to all pupils in Key-Stage 2 which ran at lunchtimes. The school also promotes the opportunities offered by Benenden Summer School.

Unless pupils are taking private instrumental lessons, all other opportunities are free of charge.

Part C: Musical Experiences

This is about all the other musical events and opportunities that we organise, such as singing in assembly, concerts and shows, and trips to professional concerts.

As stated above, all children have the opportunity each week to perform individually or in a small group to their peers. In addition to this:

· The Key-Stage 2 choir perform at end of term church services and at other special school events.

· Last year the orchestra also performed in the church.

· At least twice a year, the 2 flute groups (Years 3 and 4) perform a concert.

· We hold a concert every other year with other local small schools. Alternatively, we attend Young Voices.

· In April 2024, a group of 11 recorder players from Years 2-6 attended the Gravesend Recorder Festival.

· Upper Key-Stage 2 always perform an end of year show which involves singing and when required performances on instruments.

Apart from Young Voices where a voluntary contribution is requested to cover the cost of transport, all events are free to pupils.

In the future

This is about what the school is planning for subsequent years.

Teaching staff will receive appropriate CPD when required. As far as possible, the school will continue to fund the music teachers who deliver choir and flute lessons each week. This will enable us to participate in the local concerts as well as Young Voices. We will continue to work alongside Kent Music and consider the introduction of other instruments for whole year group weekly lessons.