Music
Music at Radwinter CofE Primary School
At Radwinter CofE (VA) Primary School we believe that music is a vital part of every child’s education and personal development. Our music curriculum is designed to inspire a lifelong love of music, nurture creativity, and build self-confidence in every child, reflecting our vision of growing and learning together to embrace life in all its fullness (John 10:10).
Our Music Curriculum: Inspiring Creativity and Confidence
Purpose of Study
Music is a universal language and one of the highest forms of creativity. A high-quality music education at Radwinter engages and inspires children to develop their talents as musicians. As they progress, children gain skills to compose, perform, and critically engage with a wide variety of music, helping them to appreciate the richness of musical traditions from around the world.
Our Intent: What We Aim to Achieve
We follow the National Curriculum for Music, providing a broad, balanced, and differentiated programme that ensures all children develop musical concepts, knowledge, and skills progressively. Music plays an integral role in building community and belonging—opportunities for children to create, perform, and enjoy music together are at the heart of our school life.
Children at Radwinter will:
- Study music for at least 30 minutes each week.
- Learn to sing individually, in groups, and as a whole school, exploring the structure and organisation of music.
- Develop self-confidence and teamwork through regular performances.
- Play a variety of instruments including the recorder, glockenspiel, and brass instruments.
- Learn to read and write staff notation, deepening their understanding of rhythm and melody.
- Listen to, review, and evaluate music from different historical periods, styles, and cultures, including contemporary works and composers.
- Use subject-specific vocabulary such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, and melody to discuss music.
- Compose simple rhythms and melodies using music technology.
Enriching Learning Beyond the Classroom
We are committed to providing memorable musical experiences beyond the classroom to enrich children’s knowledge and enthusiasm for music. These include:
- Attending live performances by professional musicians.
- Participating in school productions like our annual end-of-year show.
- Visits to concerts and musical events.
- Workshops with visiting professional musicians.
- Collaborative events with musicians from other schools.
- Performing at community events such as the i-SingPop Concert, village gatherings, and church services.
How We Teach Music: Our Approach
Our music lessons follow the Charanga scheme of work, which aligns with the National Curriculum. Lessons are planned in half-termly units, focusing on key musical strands:
- Listening and Appraising
- Musical Activities such as warm-up games, singing, playing instruments, improvisation, composition
- Performing
This spiral curriculum approach allows children to revisit and deepen their understanding of musical skills and concepts over time, ensuring mastery and confidence.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), music is woven throughout children’s learning journey—using rhyme, rhythm, and songs to support phonics, handwriting, and maths, while fostering early musical awareness and expression.
Performance: Celebrating Every Child’s Musical Journey
Performance is central to our music education. Children regularly take part in:
- Nativities and church services
- Singing assemblies and class showcases
- Band on the Run events
- Whole school productions
- Solo performances for confident pupils
Parents and the wider community are warmly invited to celebrate these achievements, reinforcing our values of fairness, kindness, and service by encouraging every child to shine.
Additional Opportunities and Support
We offer additional 1:1 music tuition with our dedicated peripatetic teachers, Mr Wilson and Mrs Semken. To ensure inclusivity, children eligible for pupil premium funding receive support towards the cost of music lessons, reflecting our commitment to fairness and inclusion.
The Impact of Our Music Curriculum
Our carefully planned curriculum ensures children make good or better progress in musical knowledge and skills. We measure success through:
- Children’s ability to use musical vocabulary confidently
- Increased self-confidence and creativity
- Participation and enjoyment in performances and community events
- Engagement in wider music festivals such as Young Voices and The Spirit of Christmas
Join Us in Celebrating Music at Radwinter CofE Primary School
We believe that music enriches every child’s life, helping them to develop spiritually, socially, and creatively in line with our Christian vision. Through music, our children learn to appreciate diversity, express themselves, and embrace life in all its fullness.
We warmly invite parents and community members to support and celebrate our children’s musical journeys by attending performances and encouraging musical exploration at home.
For more information about our music programme or how your child can participate in additional music lessons, please contact the school office.
Summary
At Radwinter CofE Primary School, music education is a joyful, inclusive, and inspiring experience that reflects our deep-rooted Christian values. Through a broad and balanced curriculum, enriched by community and performance opportunities, we nurture confident, creative children ready to embrace the fullness of life.
“I came that you may have life in all its fullness” (John 10:10) — and through music, we bring this vision to life every day.