Music at Bolton

Subject Lead: Heather Lowthian (Since January 2023)

Monitoring Governor: Kathryn McFarlane (Since September 2024)

Aims

Music is an integral and well-resourced part of life at Bolton. We want the music lessons to be fun and inspiring, engaging the children with songs, lyrics and movement. We want the children to feel able and reflective and expressive, developing their own appreciation of music with the opportunities we provide as a school. All children are actively encouraged and given the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument, from a large range of classroom instruments to instrument tuition from The Music Service. Music is planned in-line with the statements laid out in the national curriculum. Music is sometimes planned with cross-curricular links where possible with Charanga being used to supplement and provide extra support and resources to enhance music teaching. Charanga provides many examples of music styles and genres from different times and places. These are explored through the language of music via active listening, performing and composing activities, which enable understanding of the context and genre. Through our music lessons children are actively involved in a wide range of musical opportunities. They have planned units that involve broadening their understanding of the history of music, composers and western and non-western cultural traditions. Children develop their singing voices, using body percussion and whole-body actions, and learning to handle and play classroom instruments effectively to create and express their own and others’ music. Through a range of whole class, group and individual activities, children have opportunities to explore sounds, listen actively, compose and perform.

Please see our Music at Bolton document below for more information, including our policy, progression of skills and long term plans.