Music

The National Curriculum (England) focuses on the development of music skills and is an integral part of our curriculum at the British Schools of America. Our teaching supports the development of the singing voice and other essential musical skills (listening skills, aural memory and physical skills), which are a regular part of our classroom work.

At Key Stage One our pupils listen carefully and respond physically to a wide range of music. They play musical instruments (percussion) and sing a variety of songs from memory, adding accompaniments and creating short compositions, with increasing confidence, imagination and control. They explore and enjoy how sounds and silence can create different moods and effects.

At Key Stage Two our pupils sing songs and play percussion instruments with increasing confidence, skill, expression and awareness of their own contribution to a group or class performance. They improvise and develop their own musical compositions, in response to a variety of different stimuli with increasing personal involvement, independence and creativity. They explore their thoughts and feelings through responding physically, intellectually and emotionally to a variety of music from different times and cultures.

Key Stage Three pupils deepen and extend their own musical interests and skills. They perform and compose music in different styles with increasing understanding of musical devices, processes and contextual influences. They work individually and in groups of different sizes and become increasingly aware of different roles and contributions of each member of the group. They actively explore specific genres, styles and traditions from different times and cultures with increasing ability to discriminate, think critically and make connections between different areas of knowledge.

In Key Stage Four pupils are taught to develop their understanding and appreciation of a range of different kinds of music, to extend their own interests and increase their ability to make judgments about musical quality. They are also taught to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make music (individually and in groups), to develop a life-long interest in music, e.g. through community music making, to develop broader life skills and attributes, including critical and creative thinking, aesthetic sensibility and emotional and cultural development.

Continual teacher assessment informs the planning of each lesson. The work that the children complete serves as a class coverage record and at the end of each unit studied, each child's attainment is matched to achievement descriptors. This is recorded by the teacher and is used to inform end of year assessment. At the end of each term a written report highlights both progress made and areas for development. Parent / Teacher conferences provide the opportunity to discuss a child's individual rate of progress.