Music
Music, as one of the creative arts, is a magical subject. It has the power to ignite all areas of a child’s development and skills at school. Music is more than just learning to play an instrument or read sheet-music – it is about developing motor-skills, focus, social-emotional regulation and helping the body and mind work together. When music is taught well, it exposes children to a rich body of vocabulary and enables them to explore the sounds and meanings of words. Also, above anything else, music is seriously good fun!
Primary National Curriculum for Music
LPPA Music Development Plan 2025-2026
Music in the Early Years
Before starting on the National Curriculum for Music, there a number of prerequisite skills that children in Reception should develop. At LPPA, children and adults sing songs and rhymes together to develop children’s communication and language skills in a fun and engaging way.
Music is part of Expressive Arts and Design. Children sing nursery rhymes, perform songs and move to music. They explore beat, rhythm and pitch using voices, percussion and everyday sounds.
Music in Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)
Music lessons in Year 1 and Year 2 allow children to build on what they have learned in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The annual Christmas Nativity production provides a great opportunity for children to showcase their ability to use their voices creatively by singing songs and playing instruments. Beyond this, the children explore music appreciation and begin a journey into the interrelated dimensions of music: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and early musical notation. Charanga Music is a tool we use across the whole school to support the delivery of our music lessons.
Children build confidence through singing, percussion and simple composition. They learn musical vocabulary and start reading basic notation.
- Year 1: Singing (including Christmas songs), sea-themed music, animal compositions
- Year 2: Singing, recorders, and space-inspired compositions
Music in Key Stage 2 (Years 3 - 6)
In Key Stage 2, children continue to develop their musical skills, building on the foundations established in earlier years. They continue to explore a wider range of musical concepts, including rhythm, pitch, and dynamics, while also beginning to learn more about musical notation, allowing them to read and write simple melodies.
Children deepen skills in listening, performing, composing and notation. They experience a range of instruments and digital tools.
- Year 3: Violin lessons, Glockenspiel Stage 1, GarageBand composition
- Year 4: Singing, recorders, rainforest compositions
- Year 5: Singing in parts, Glockenspiel Stage 2, GarageBand with The Music Works
- Year 6: Singing in harmony, ukulele, composing a Leavers’ Song
There are enrichment opportunities including a Carol Concert, Young Voices at Birmingham Arena, peripatetic lessons (drums, guitar) and music technology workshops.