🎵 Music at High Halden C of E Primary School

“Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.”
— Stevie Wonder

At High Halden, we believe music is for everyone. It inspires creativity, builds confidence, and connects us to cultures and communities across the world. Our music curriculum is designed to develop skills, ignite passion, and give children the tools to express themselves through sound.

Through listening, singing, playing, composing, evaluating and performing, our children experience music in many forms — from classical to contemporary, from local traditions to global genres. Where possible, we link music to other curriculum areas to add depth and meaning.

🎼 How We Teach Music

We follow the Charanga Music School programme of study, which aligns with the National Curriculum and is taught across the whole school.
The scheme takes a spiral learning approach, meaning key skills and concepts are revisited regularly and explored in greater depth as children progress.

Each unit focuses on:

• Listening & Appraising

• Musical Activities (warm-ups, singing, playing tuned/untuned instruments, improvisation, composition)

• Performing

This repetition-based approach ensures secure understanding and mastery of musical concepts.

🎹 Musical Instrument Progression

To give every child the opportunity to experience a variety of instruments, we follow a structured progression:

• EYFS: Glockenspiels – exploring pitch, rhythm, and simple melodies

• Year 1 & 2: Recorders – introducing musical notation and breath control

• Year 3 & 4: Clarinets – taught with specialist support from the Kent Music Hub

• Year 5 & 6: African Drums – developing rhythm, ensemble performance, and world music awareness

This progression ensures that by the end of Year 6, children have explored tuned, woodwind, and percussion instruments in a purposeful sequence.

🎤 Singing at High Halden

Singing is at the heart of our music curriculum.

• Weekly singing assemblies build pitch, melody, and vocal control

• Warm-up exercises and harmony work are taught explicitly

• Children perform at school events, church services, and local community celebrations

Choir Club is open to children with a passion for singing and performing. One of the highlights of the year is representing our school at Young Voices, performing alongside thousands of other children at the O2 Arena in London.

🎼 Musician of the Month

Each month, we celebrate a Musician of the Month — exploring their life, style, and contribution to music. This exposes children to a diverse range of genres, cultures, and musical history, inspiring them to listen more widely and appreciate music from around the world.

🕊 Weekly Praise & Reflection

Our Music and RE Lead delivers a Weekly Praise & Reflection assembly, bringing together music, worship, and spirituality. This provides a meaningful moment for the whole school to sing, reflect, and celebrate together.

🎵 Peripatetic Music Lessons

In addition to whole-class music, we offer peripatetic lessons for individuals or small groups. These are taught by specialist tutors and can include a variety of instruments, giving children the chance to further develop their skills and passion for music.

💻 Technology and Creativity

Charanga’s digital tools enhance our music lessons, making learning inclusive and accessible for all. From composing online to exploring digital instruments, technology supports creativity in every lesson.

🌍 Beyond the Classroom

We believe music should be shared. Our children:

• Take part in community performances

• Join in special music days and cross-curricular projects

• Experience live music and workshops from visiting musicians

• Celebrate world music and cultures through an annual Languages and Music Day

🎯 Our Goals

By the end of Year 6, every child will have:

• Experienced the full range of learning in the Model Music Curriculum

• Played and performed using tuned, woodwind, and percussion instruments

• Composed and recorded their own music

• Developed confidence to perform for an audience

• Gained an appreciation for a wide variety of musical genres and traditions

At High Halden, music is lively, inclusive and inspiring — giving every child the chance to find their voice.