We follow Kapow for Music, adapted by staff at Christ Church to suit our children and our wider curriculum. It meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and is reviewed annually by the subject leader.
Intent
At Christ Church, our vision is for music education to ignite a sense of awe and fascination with God’s creation, while equipping pupils with a comprehensive understanding of melodies, historical genres, and creative expressions. Music is woven through the life of our school – in worship, in performance, and in the classroom.
We are deeply proud of our rich culture of singing, which unites our school in our daily collective worship time. Guided by our SCOPE pillars, we deliver a music curriculum that is intentionally Spiritual, Community-focused, Outdoor, Purposeful, and Enriching.
- Spiritual: Our Spiritual approach encourages pupils to reflect on music as a profound gift from God and a powerful means of expression. Pupils develop awe, empathy, and personal reflection as they listen to, compose, and perform music, discovering how faith, emotions, and values are woven through musical heritage. We invite pupils to view music as a blessing and an outlet for personal reflection.
- Community-focused: Through Community, children use the universal language of music to connect with others, whether sharing their gifts in collective worship, performing at church services, or collaborating in the classroom. As well as many opportunities throughout the week to unite and sing as a school. Children explore a rich tapestry of global musical traditions, fostering a deep respect for others and a strong sense of belonging.
- We make purposeful use of the Outdoor environment to explore natural acoustics, soundscapes, and rhythm in the world around us. From creating nature-inspired compositions to performing in open-air spaces, hands-on outdoor experiences help children connect with music in vibrant, memorable ways.
- Our Music teaching is Purposeful – following a carefully sequenced, spiral framework that builds secure knowledge and skills across performing, listening, composing, and the history of music. We promote critical thinking and musical literacy, encouraging children to question, analyse, and make connections.
- Learning is Enriching, drawing on cross-curricular links to deepen creativity, confidence, and expression. Through a wealth of varied musical genres and historical periods, children encounter stories, instruments, and global perspectives that expand their horizons and inspire a lifelong love for the arts.
Implementation
At Christ Church, our music curriculum covers performing, composing, listening and appraising, and the inter-related dimensions of music – pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure and notation.Pupils learn to play tuned and untuned instruments as part of the curriculum, including keyboards, xylophones and glockenspiels. In the Early Years, music runs through daily practice – singing, rhyme, movement and exploring sound-makers – within Expressive Arts and Design.
Our music curriculum is brought to life through a combination of high-quality classroom teaching by the class teachers and overseen by the Music Lead.
- The Curriculum Framework: We follow the carefully sequenced, spiral framework of the Kapow Primary scheme of learning. This ensures clear progression from the Early Years (“Expressive Arts and Design”) through to Year 6, allowing pupils to systematically expand their vocal control, instrumental techniques, and notation skills through increasingly complex projects.
- A Culture of Singing: Singing is embedded into the fabric of our school day. Pupils participate in the daily singing of praise and worship songs during Collective Worship, and gather as a whole school once a week for a Singing Assembly.
- Extra-Curricular opportunities: To further nurture musical talent and collaboration, we run a dedicated Choir for children in Year 4-6. The choir provides children with opportunities to refine their performance skills and share their gifts beyond the classroom. In addition, year 3-6 will plan and lead a special celebration church service at our local church for the school community, Year 6 will perform an end of year musical production and there are many opportunities to learn a musical instrument with specialist teachers.
- Experiential Learning: Lessons utilise natural acoustics and outdoor spaces for sound exploration and composition. Cross-curricular links with Art, English, and History are intentionally planned to deepen understanding and give musical historical context real meaning.
Teaching is adapted so every child can take part, using visual supports, simplified notation, adult scaffolding and instruments chosen to suit individual needs.
Implementation
The impact of our music curriculum is seen in the confidence, creativity, and spiritual growth of our pupils:
- Confident Performers: Our children develop the resilience and courage to perform, whether in front of their peers in class, as part of the KS2 choir, or when lifting their voices together in worship.
- Musical Literacy: Pupils develop a secure understanding of the core dimensions of music – such as pitch, pulse, and dynamics – enabling them to make intentional, informed choices in their own compositions and critically evaluate the music they hear.
- Building connections: By exploring a wide tapestry of global styles, our pupils leave with a deep respect for different cultures and a strong sense of their own place within a diverse community.
By the time they complete Year 6, pupils at Christ Church leave as expressive, assured, and insightful musicians who cherish the transformative power of song, feel connected to the world around them, and are inspired to shape the creative landscape of tomorrow.
To find out more about Music at Christ Church, please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact the school office on 020 8660 7500.
Please click below to see the Music Progression Document and the Long term Map.
