Music washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.

Berthold Auerbach

Intent

Music is a universal language that everyone can participate in and enjoy and during their time at Christ Church the children are all encouraged to explore music through a variety of avenues.

Implementation

Music is taught in accordance with the National Curriculum and a specialist teacher ensures that all children have the opportunity to develop musical talents and abilities. During weekly lessons they learn to sing and to play tuned and untuned instruments with increasing accuracy, control and expression, to improvise and compose music, to use and understand notation and to perform, both solo and as part of an ensemble. They listen to both recorded and live music from a wide range of genres and find out about the history of music.

We use a music resource called Charanga and this is highly proficient in ensuring teachers are upskilled and have the resources at hand that they need to teach music well.

There are two school choirs and the children in Y2 and Y3 learn key skills through weekly ukulele lessons. We have a Bucket- drumming Group for older children.

We are part of B.E.A.T. ( Barnet Education Arts Trust) and this provides opportunities for our children to learn to play a variety of instruments with  peripatetic staff.The children have the opportunity to learn a variety of instruments including drums,violin, cello, trumpet, clarinet and piano.

Impact

We value the importance of performance and encourage our children to  share their skills regularly in assemblies as well as visits to the local community. Our musicians regularly perform at local residential homes, participate in summer concerts and “Music in the Field”. The choir and orchestra take part in Barnet School and LDBS events and have performed at The Royal Albert Hall. Our skilled Bucket Drumming Group have been asked to perform at charity events and recently at the Science Fair for Barnet Teachers. This not only provides the children with enjoyable experiences that nurture confidence, social awareness and self esteem but also allows them the opportunity to practice our values of compassion, respect, trust and perseverance.

Music is everybody’s possession.

John Lennon