Why do we teach music?
“Music is life itself” - Louis Armstrong
At Westcliff, we want to engage and inspire our children to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians. Our goal is that the music our children love will become a part of their lives and bring colour to the experiences that shape them. We aim to increase our children’s self confidence, creativity and sense of achievement through the delivery of a high quality music curriculum.
How Music is taught at Westcliff
We follow the National Curriculum and use Charanga music for our weekly music lessons. We focus on one strand of music each half term, taught progressively throughout the school. Children receive one hour of music lessons during the week, broken up into short periods. By teaching music in this way, we can ensure that our children have the opportunity to:
- listen to and evaluate music from a full range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions
- learn to sing
- create and compose music independently and in groups
- learn to play musical instruments (percussion and glockenspiels)
Our music curriculum supports teachers to teach children musical knowledge and skills. We also want our children to appreciate different genres of music and begin to become familiar with some of our great composers.
Specialist Peripatetic Tuition
Tiddly-Om-Pom-Poms (Nursery and Reception)
Children will have fun singing, playing instruments and moving to music in their weekly session. TOPPS aims to provide weekly high quality music making sessions giving young children the confidence, ambition and aspirations necessary to fulfil their musical potential. Programmes are designed to meet Early Learning Goals and feature educational themes and a variety of activities to suit all children’s learning styles.
Rocksteady (all year groups)
Rocksteady music school provides weekly, in school rock and pop band lessons for primary school children, focusing on building confidence, wellbeing and musical skills. Led by professional musicians, the inclusive, no-experience-necessary program allows children to learn vocals, guitar, drums or keyboard. Children are given the opportunity to perform in their
bands to parents and peers three times a year to give them real-life performance experience, improving self-belief and social skills.
Extra curricular music
Every year we join with other schools from across Blackpool to perform at the Blackpool Schools music festival and Schools Alive.
We also run a school choir as an extra-curricular club, as well as weekly singing assemblies for Ks1 & 2
Music Curriculum