Music Curriculum 2022-2023
Head of Department: Mrs. M. Saracino
Email address: msaracino@gilbertinglefield.com
Music plays an integral part in the life of Gilbert Inglefield Academy.
The Gilbert Inglefield Academy musical journey
We are proud to be a Music Mark school, having been nominated for this award by Inspiring Music Central Bedfordshire.
Every child receives a music lesson once a week which involves learning to play a wide range of musical instruments such as steel pans, African drums, ukuleles, guitars, keyboards to name a few. We also learn about music from different cultures and times and pupils listen to music from some of the great classical composers.
Joining together to share music develops the whole child, and pupils sing and perform together on a regular basis. Singing assemblies in key stages and as a whole school community take place weekly where we learn a variety of songs from different religious, historical and moral perspectives as well as singing for the fun of it!
Pupils are able to extend their skills and enjoyment of music by taking part in one of the many musical clubs that are run throughout the school day and before and after school.
Pupils prepare and present musical performances throughout the year, such as a concert and Nativity production at Christmas, an Easter concert, and a summer term concert which showcases our talented solo performers.
The school recognises and embraces being part of the community and our pupils perform to the elderly in residential homes and invite guests in to listen and join in with our performances and celebrations.
Year 5
AUTUMN TERM
Pupils learn to play the ukulele. We concentrate on learning to read the chord grid and learn strumming techniques which are tailored to their individual needs.
Pupils learn to perform a variety of different songs celebrating Harvest and Christmas. They have the opportunity to work in groups and can join the Ukulele Club which meets once a week. The Ukulele Club performs in assemblies and goes out to perform to the wider community. This will occur once government guidelines allow.
Pupils also learn to sing in a call and response style learning songs from around the world. They learn part singing, and can develop their singing skills further by joining the Pop Choir which is open to all years.
Pupils begin to develop their composition skills by composing lyrics to go with a song they have learnt in lessons which they will also perform paying particular attention to pitch and style. Pupils learn about the ballet music of Tchaikovsky as well as learning about the Romantic period of music. They develop their knowledge of the orchestra identifying instrumental families.
Pupils will particularly learn the stories and music of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.
Learning musical vocabulary is an important part of the curriculum, and we will be using and learning the symbols for the elements of music.
SPRING TERM
During this term, Year 5 will learn to play the keyboard and the read music from the treble clef. Pupils will learn to read from simple notation and will use their right hand when performing. Those pupils who have already been learning the keyboard will use both hands and will read from more complex notations.
They will continue to develop their singing skills and will sing a variety of song from different genres in unison and in parts.
Pupils will learn to play the violin using pizzicato(plucking) and arco (using the bow).
We will be learning to read from the treble clef and performing from music. Pupils will learn the correct technique and posture for playing the violin and also the names of the different parts of the instrument.
Caribbean music will be part of the focus this term, and pupils will learn to play the steel pans and drum kit as an accompaniment. We will perform as a group and work on a performance.
SUMMER TERM
Pupils will be listening to the music of Saint Saens, Carnival of the animals. They will identifying the instruments aurally and will be reinforcing their knowledge of the orchestra and the orchestra instruments.
We will be learning about dynamics recognizing the symbols and Italian terminology.
Pupils will be learning to play the guitar reading from chord sheets and will learn a range of songs which we will perform.
Year 6
AUTUMN TERM
Developing knowledge of singing songs from around the world in a call and response style as well as part singing will form an important part of our work. Pupils learn to perform a variety of different songs celebrating Harvest and Christmas.
Pupils will continue to develop skills learnt in the previous year on the ukulele, extending their skills moving between a variety of chords and play and singing songs.
We also develop our knowledge to the orchestra looking at the families and individual instruments learning about pitch and timbre (type of sound).
Pupils will begin the keyboard skills unit of work which will look at theory of music, covering the different clefs that are used by different instruments and by the right and left hand on the keyboard.
SPRING TERM
Pupils will be continuing with their keyboard skills unit, focusing on time signatures.
They will continue to develop their singing skills and will sing a variety of songs from different genres in unison and in parts.
Pupils will learn to play the violin using pizzicato(plucking) and arco (using the bow).
Pupils will learn about music from the Renaissance period and develop their knowledge of the journey of the orchestra and instruments via this unit.
Caribbean music will be part of the focus this term, and pupils will learn to play the steel pans and drum kit as an accompaniment. We will perform as a group and work on a performance.
SUMMER TERM
Pupils will be listening to the music of Prokofiev and learning about the music and story of Peter and the Wolf.
They will develop their aural skills recognizing instruments and will also know the names of the instruments that make up the family groups in the orchestra.
Pupils will develop their knowledge and skills on the guitars reading from chord sheets and performing a range of songs.
Year 7
AUTUMN TERM
Pupils learn to play the African drums. We have several different types of authentic African drums and pupils have the opportunity to play on all of these during lessons.
We learn to play ostinato (repeating) rhythms in parts and also learn to play the different notes on the drum using different parts of the drum and hand.
Looking at the origins of African drumming forms an integral part of our work and we look at the cultural significance of drumming in Africa.
We learn songs from Africa to go with drumming patterns that are performed in class.
Pupils compose their own music in response to the music heard and learnt in lesson, recording these and assessing each other’s work.
Pupils will also work on keyboard skills – reading from traditional notations. They will work on treble and bass clefs and perform to the class.
We will begin our work on steel pans and the drumkit learning to perform from memory and keeping to the beat using ostinato rhythms, whilst learning about the cultural heritage of the genre.
SPRING TERM
Pupils will develop their skills on the keyboard and will work on the treble and bass clef using both hands on the keyboard. They will extend their knowledge of notations and note values.
They will continue to develop their singing skills and will sing a variety of song from different genres in unison and in parts.
Pupils will learn to play the violin using pizzicato(plucking) and arco (using the bow).
We will be learning to read from the treble clef and performing from music. Pupils will learn the correct technique and posture for playing the violin and also the names of the different parts of the instrument.
On our musical journey around the world, we will be studying the instruments and music from China and working on pentatonic compositions as well as learning to notate and perform pentatonic musical scales.
SUMMER TERM
Pupils will be developing their skills on the guitar learning to read from tablature. They will learn a range of riffs and songs and will perform these as individuals and as part of a group.
We will be learning about traditional Indian music and performing Indian scales on the keyboards and other instruments.
Pupils will learn about instruments from this area of the world and will compose music in response to music heard.
Year 8
AUTUMN TERM
During the term we will work on our second unit of African drumming looking at how and where the drums are made and the life and culture of the African people linking with geography.
Year 8 study music from Brazil listening to the beats and rhythms of Samba music. Pupils work on a variety of drums and percussion instruments from Brazil and perform as a Samba Band.
We work on traditional notation as well as using other notation devices thinking about dynamics (volume) and tempo (speed).
Syncopated (off beat) dance rhythms are worked through with pupils using some of the techniques they have acquired during PE lessons.
Pupils will record and analyse their performances offering feedback as to where improvements could be made using musical vocabulary.
SPRING TERM
They will learn about the history of “Blues” music and will perform music on the guitar reading from tablature and performing chords as well as performing melodic and accompaniments on the keyboard.
Pupils will learn to play the violin using pizzicato(plucking) and arco (using the bow).
We will be learning to read from the treble clef and performing from music. Pupils will learn the correct technique and posture for playing the violin and also the names of the different parts of the instrument.
Pupils will develop their skills on the keyboard and will work on the treble and bass clef using both hands on the keyboard. They will extend their knowledge of notations and note values.
SUMMER TERM
Pupils will perform on steel pans and will learn drumming techniques on the drum kit.
We will develop out skills on a variety of pans and will perform together as a group.
Year 8 will be learning about the music of John Williams and will compose music in response to this.
They will be developing their knowledge of the Fanfare and will compose and perform these.
Pupils will also work in groups to learn song writing techniques and will compose a song and perform this.
