Music

At Spring Lane, our music curriculum nurtures creativity and empowers aspirational thinkers to explore how music shapes and reflects human experience across cultures and time. Through active listening, composing, and performing, children become effective communicators, confidently expressing musical ideas using accurate vocabulary and a growing understanding of musical elements. As expert learners, they develop perseverance, critical thinking, and independence as they respond to a wide range of genres, styles, and traditions. We foster caring citizens by exploring music’s role in identity, protest, celebration, and community, helping pupils respect diverse voices and perspectives. Our curriculum also promotes healthy individuals and leaders by building confidence, teamwork, and self-expression—encouraging children to find their own voice and recognise the power of music to inspire change in themselves and others.

At Spring Lane, music is implemented through a rich and progressive curriculum built around Kapow’s scheme (Condensed in KS2), enhanced by specialist teaching from NMPAT in Year 4. Rooted in our principle of relevance, lessons connect musical learning to children’s lives, cultures, and local context—enabling pupils to understand the role of music in their communities and the wider world. Through experiences such as live instrumental tuition, regular singing assemblies, and exploration of different genres and traditions, children engage deeply with music, gaining technical skills and a lifelong appreciation of the art form. Weekly assembly singing provides all pupils with the opportunity to experience the joy and unity of shared music-making, while developing their vocal skills and musical confidence. In Year 4, pupils also benefit from real instrument teaching through NMPAT, learning to play and perform as part of an ensemble led by visiting musicians. Collaboration is central to our approach: children compose, improvise, and perform together, learning to listen, respond, and create in unison. This shared musical journey nurtures not only musicianship, but also teamwork, respect, and joy in shared achievement.

The impact of our music curriculum is seen in children who listen actively, perform confidently, and express themselves creatively through a broad range of musical experiences. Because learning is made relevant, pupils are able to connect music to their own identities, cultures, and communities, recognising its importance in the wider world. Our rich, hands-on experiences—including instrumental tuition, live performance, composition, and regular singing assemblies—ensure that knowledge is retained and musical skills are developed through joyful, memorable learning. Through collaboration, children work together to rehearse, compose, and reflect, learning to value each other’s contributions and perform as part of an ensemble. As a result, pupils emerge as expressive, skilled, and reflective musicians, with the confidence to share their musical voice and the curiosity to continue exploring music beyond the classroom.

Pupils’ musical knowledge and skills are assessed using the following:

● Retrieval practice and revisiting of vocabulary and key concepts in each lesson

● Ongoing assessment for learning through questioning, observation, and live feedback

● Pupil voice to evidence depth of understanding, enjoyment, and progression over time

● Summative assessments linked to performance, composition, or appraisal tasks at the end of a unit