Early Years
When our budding musicians begin at Ash Tree, they explore their environment in Foundation Stage. Within the provision are many recognisable instruments that they will be able to pick up, examine and then work out for themselves how to create noises from these. The adults who support them in their explorations will then be able to show them how each is played and tell them the name for these instruments. There are also opportunities for our Musicians to make their own instruments as well as explore the sounds that can be made in the environment – such as tapping sticks against different objects and comparing the noises this makes. Our Ash Tree Musicians will also sing songs that may be familiar to them already as well as learning new ones, adding body percussion and even experiencing performing, informally using the stage areas and, more rehearsed, for invited guests. During their weekly Singing Assembly led by a specialist Music teacher, our Ash Tree Musicians learn songs related to their topics and seasonal celebrations.
Key Stage One
When our Musicians move into KS1, our music curriculum becomes more formal with weekly lessons planned. Our curriculum builds on the experiences of early years with children being introduced to terminology to describe music, comparing pieces of music, listening and responding to other performers. They begin to consider the different instruments that we have in school and choose these for a purpose, creating simple compositions and melodies. Our KS1 Ash Tree Musicians have the opportunity to perform for parents and carers each Christmas, using voices expressively both when singing and speaking. They take part in our weekly Singing Assembly led by a specialist Music teacher as well as ‘Sing and Sign’ during our Celebration Assembly.
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Key Stage Two
As our Ash Tree Musicians move into KS2 they explore more genres of music, music from around the world, the history of music and continue to use musical vocabulary when discussing and evaluating their own and the work of others. They will have opportunities to listen to different composers and identify how different musical eras influence each other. In KS2, our Ash Tree Musicians have the opportunity to be taught by Music specialists from Artforms focusing on whole class teaching of ukulele, glockenspiel and tuned percussion as well as joining in our whole school Singing Assembly and ‘Sing and Sign’ Assembly.
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Performing to others continues in KS2 with each year group planning, rehearsing and presenting each Christmas and at the end of the school year as well as planned lessons to develop those skills needed to work within a group such as listening to others, keeping time, singing songs in parts and following cues and directions from a conductor. Our Ash Tree Musicians in both KS1 and KS2 are also offered the option of individual piano tuition and guitar lesson - we have budding pianists across the school.
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The progress of our Ash Tree Musicians is assessed through end of half term unit quizzes, teacher observation, discussions, the use of key questions and vocabulary and using videos and recordings to evaluate. As they journey through our carefully planned curriculum, building their skills each year and by the time they leave us, they will have had the opportunities to compose multi-layered pieces of music, write original songs, develop melodies and perform and record their work in a variety of ways. At Ash Tree we have a lasting tradition of music making throughout the calendar year of celebrations and festivals: music brings our school together, marks key rites of passage in our school life and we are proud of the way we come together as a community to make music. We hope that our Ash Tree Musicians develop a lasting love and appreciation of Music both for the purpose of further study and for the enrichment of their lives.
