| 1 – Overall objective/ vision | To ensure that music is experienced throughout Barnby Road Academy and that all children have opportunities to express themselves musically and perform, we provide opportunities to learn musical instruments and participate in ensembles in school. Regular performances, both in and out of school, will showcase our children and position our school as a leader in music education within the local community. This will also maximise cultural capital for all our children, enhancing their overall wellbeing and confidence while creating a supportive community of music-making. Music at Barnby Road will ensure that pupils make progress through each year group, acquiring and applying key knowledge, so that they at least meet the agreed age expectations in the subject and develop a lifelong passion for the importance of the creative arts. |
| 2 – Key components | Children will learn to compose using percussion and graphic scores in Key Stage 1, using recorders and staff notation in Years 3 and 4, and using chord symbols and ukuleles in Years 5 and 6. Children will listen to and respond to a wide range of musical genres and ensembles. Opportunities for children to hear live music will be regularly available, both from our own ensembles, visits from secondary schools, and from visiting professional musicians. Barnby Road will contribute musically to community events in the local area, such as carol concerts, community events, and performing in local music competitions. Music at Barnby Road will ensure that pupils make progress through each year group, acquiring and applying key knowledge, so that they at least meet the agreed age expectations in the subject and develop a lifelong passion for the importance of the creative arts.
This is achieved by:
- Securing high-quality teaching
- Ensuring that planning meets the requirements of the school’s agreed curriculum
- The effective use of resources.
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| 3 – Classroom instrumental teaching | Percussion instruments are used in some classroom music lessons in Years 1 and 2.
Recorders are taught weekly in Years 3 and 4, and ukuleles are taught in Years 5 and 6.
Every year group has a weekly half-hour singing session with a specialist musician. |
| 4 – Implementation of key components | Music has been a key part of the Barnby Road Academy curriculum for many years. We have planning and teaching in place across all year groups, both for the progressive singing plans and for the classroom instrumental lessons. Years 1 and 2 include listening, composing, and performing sessions in their classroom music work using percussion. Year 3 and 4 recorder lessons have been planned by a music specialist and are taught by the classroom teacher, with CPD support available for new teachers from the Music Lead. Year 5 and 6 ukulele lessons are taught by a music specialist, alongside classroom teachers who support the sessions. Instrumental lessons are offered from Year 3 and are taught by peripatetic teachers directly employed by the school. The school owns instruments that are lent to children free of charge. This means the cost of our instrumental lessons makes music accessible for all (currently £4.50 for either a group half-hour session or a 20-minute individual lesson, free to pupil premium children). We hold a Trinity music exam session once a year for children who wish to take exams. We also offer performance opportunities in assemblies, concerts, and local music competitions. For the next academic year, we are organising visits from musicians in the RAF Music Services and the Newark Town Band to perform for our children. Last year, many of our orchestra members attended an RAF concert when offered free tickets, and we will pursue similar opportunities next year when available. Our peripatetic staff perform for the children each September as part of our recruitment process. Our choir has performed at many local events over the past academic year and will continue to do so in 2024–2025. Events this year have included carol services, the Dragon Boat Race, the opening of the Umbrella Project, and the Wolfit Festival. Our school orchestra attended a Giant Orchestra Day organised by Lincolnshire Music Service/Carres Grammar School and will attend again next year. All of our ensembles also perform at the school Christmas celebration, the Newark Young Musician Grand Final, the Summer Fair, assemblies, and the Summer Concert. The Music Lead contacts our feeder secondary schools each summer to inform them which children play instruments and the grades they have achieved, in order to encourage them to continue playing at their new schools. We also take children to local secondary school concerts when invited. |
| 5 – Communication activities | We have a page on our website featuring upcoming events and recent achievements: https://www.barnbyroadprimary.com/music-at-barnby/
Videos are also regularly uploaded to our video-sharing page: https://barnbyroad.primarysite.media/playlist/music Concert information is also regularly shared on the school's social media. |
| 6 – Evaluation process for the success of the Music Development Plan | Music is assessed at the end of each academic year. Class teachers are required to assess pupils' understanding in music and record whether they are meeting year group expectations, or are working above or below these. The Subject Leader will collate this information, which will inform the future direction of the subject. Monitoring and evaluation of music will be undertaken through the following activities, as outlined in the Foundation Subject Monitoring Timetable: - Book analysis
- Pupil interviews
- Lesson observations
- Professional dialogue with teaching staff
- Planning audits using the Curriculum Plan Checklist
- Analysis of data using the End of Year Assessment Analysis form
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| 7 – Transition work with local secondary schools | The Music Lead is in regular contact with the music teacher at Newark Academy, Ash Williams, and he has attended occasional orchestra rehearsals. He has also invited children from our school to attend concert dress rehearsals. We have also attended a concert at Magnus Secondary School this year.
The Music Lead contacts all Heads of Music at our feeder secondary schools in July to inform them of the new Year 7s who play instruments.
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| 8 – Budget materials and staffing | Peter Higgins is employed to plan and run the singing sessions and ukulele sessions. Alongside this, he also teaches the piano, runs the chamber choir, accompanies the senior choir and orchestra rehearsals, runs the ukulele club, and accompanies students for exams and concerts.
We also employ brass, woodwind, string, and drum tutors directly. Mrs Wyatt is also released from classroom duties to teach the flute and organise extra-curricular music. Instrumental lessons are partially funded by the school.
Instrument repairs and the purchase of new instruments are funded by the school or the ‘Friends’ organisation.
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| 9 – Pupil Premium and SEND provision | Pupil premium children receive free instrumental tuition. Children with SEND access music with their year group wherever possible. The Rainbow Room children have two music sessions per week: one singing with Mr Higgins, our specialist music teacher, and one instrumental session with Mrs Wyatt, the Music Lead. |
| 10 – Summary Action Plan | - Continue termly monitoring in accordance with the subject monitoring timetable.
- Speak with the Headteacher about any budgeting requirements for the next academic year.
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