Theological Underpinning

In song and in music we give our praises to God and lift our hearts to the Lord. In singing and playing instruments in a congregation we give fully of ourselves and combine as one powerful body in Christ. In music we express our thanks to and love for God loudly and with pride. But music also allows us to express our quieter and more personal thoughts to God, perhaps through listening as much as other means. Music can bring alive the word of God, as we see so often in the Psalms. Instrumental music can also reach further than any word often can; it can sum up feelings about oneself and one’s place in the world and emotions from joy to sorrow, which are often hard to articulate. Music is one of God’s most precious gifts – it can embody the Spirit and be with us when we need the presence of God.

NC Programme of Study Aims

The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians 
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence 
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Curriculum

Music is a real strength of the school. In nursery the building bricks are laid with daily music: instruments are always in the outside area; the children sing together and a variety of music is listened to. From Reception to Year 6, weekly lessons with skills being taught in line with the New Curriculum are taught. Class music consists of: singing, composing and listening. An emphasis is placed on practical music making all the way through to year 6. The children are given plenty of opportunities to compose from raps to Christmas carols.

Many opportunities for performing are provided, e.g. the nursery nativity, EYFS/KS1 nativity, summer concert, assemblies and church services.

Every child from Year 2 upwards learns the recorder in their class music lesson and the children have the opportunity to learn the violin from Year 3. Children who are competent on the recorder by the time they are in Year 4 are given the opportunity to learn the treble recorder.

Extra-curricular music includes an upper KS2 choir and a recorder ensemble- featuring the whole range of recorders.

Music in the community is also important and embraced at All Saints'. The choir have sung at the Wandsworth Mayor's Charity Carol Concert and to elderly parishioners.

The children have regular opportunities to listen to live music and visit the LSO school concerts at the Barbican.