Music development plan summary                         Ashurst C of E Primary School

Detail

Information

Academic year that this summary covers

2025-2026

Date this summary was published

February 2026

Date this summary will be reviewed

September 2027

Name of the school music lead

Sally Double

Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different)

Name of local music hub

West Sussex Music Hub

Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place)

Diocese of Chichester

At Ashurst C of E Primary School, we place a strong emphasis on music as a core part of our curriculum, integrating it into daily school life through a progressive, inclusive, and fun approach. We aim to develop children's skills, knowledge, and confidence to view themselves as musicians, fostering a love and lifelong passion.  All children are encouraged to shine in unique ways, to share their skills and talents

Music is taught throughout the school in line with the National Curriculum, using the Charanga Primary scheme of work, a structured music programme.Charanga is a progressive program that enables pupils to reflect and build on their musical knowledge and skills. Alongside using this Charanga, in Key Stage Two we provide whole class instrument lessons.

The National Curriculum for Music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians.

• Learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology  appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence.

 • Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations

We sing daily in our assemblies and listen to a variety of Music during our worship time. Throughout the year, all children to perform in assemblies, church services, class concerts and productions. We participate in local events and singing festivals, often collaborating with the local Chanctonbury Network of schools.

·         Singing is embedded into the life of the school. Children enjoy a weekly whole-school singing Worship, with appropriate warm-up activities, music appreciation and learning and performing songs in unison and in multi-parts. We include a variety of songs from tradition hymns to modern assembly songs, including Makaton songs using sign language. We focus on developing the children’s ability to sing in tune with others. We truly value the benefits of singing together and the positive impact it has on our happiness, confidence and overall well-being.

·         In Early Years and Key Stage One children follow the Charanga Music scheme, giving them the opportunity to learn to play a variety of tuned and untuned percussion instruments including the glockenspiel and chime bars. Lessons are 40 minutes with additional singing and games throughout the week.ie, classroom routines, phonics and counting songs.

·         In Key Stage Two children follow some chosen units from the Charanga music scheme alongside learning to play a variety of instruments. Lessons are 45 -60 minutes with additional singing and games throughout the week.

·         Years 3 and 4 children continue learning to play the glockenspiels and chime bars. They learn to play the Ocarina, which helps them to further develop their understanding of musical notation.

·          Years 5 and 6 children learn to play the recorder and ukelele

·         All years-Musical performances throughout the year –Church services, Harvest, Christmas Nativity/ Carol concert/ pantomime, Leaver’s performance. Children learn and practise songs and music in class lessons, to perform in these events

·         Years 5 and 6 participate in the Chanctonbury Festival, in the Summer term, is a community event supported by five schools from the locality.

Our intention is first and foremost to ensure all children enjoy Music and help to feel that they are musical. We will strive to remove barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. Adopting a positive and proactive approach will ensure that children with SEND are able to express themselves and take an active part in lessons. Explicit instructions and scaffolding will enable all pupils to achieve and succeed in music.

  Music Tuition

·         Mr Smith offers1-1 lessons on a Monday afternoon for pupils to learn to play the flute and saxaphone. (Parents are charged )

·         Mr Barrett  from W.Sussex Music offers 1-1 and small group lessons to learn to play the ukulele, guitar and piano on a Tuesday afternoon (parents are charged)

Lessons are available free of charge for Pupil Premium pupils , together with instrument hire and exam fees- subsidised by the school.

·         Dance and drama afterschool club provides opportunities for singing and performing.

·         Pupils can rehearse or practice individually or in small groups in the school library in break times .

·         Years 5 and 6 created a class band to perform together in our Christmas carol concert

In addition to planned curriculum time for music, children also have additional musical experiences, sometimes the whole school together, sometimes individually, which occur during the school year and contribute to the overall planning and time allocation for music. Music is incorporated into a variety of activities and events within school, such as weekly assemblies, singing assemblies, classroom routines and special celebrations.

·         Year Reception, 1 and 2 perform a Christmas Nativity together, including opportunities for solo and small group performances.

·         Pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 perform a Christmas production together, We alternate a traditional carol concert at school one year to a Pantomime at                    Ashurst Village Hall to a larger audience, the following year.  Both events provide opportunities for solos, duets and choir performances.

·         Monthly at St James’ church provide opportunities to sing in church with other pupils and parents.

·         Weekly singing worship provides opportunities for children to lead group parts in rounds and for solos or duets.

·         Celebration assemblies provide opportunities for classes to share instrument learning or songs learnt.

·         Children receiving instrument lessons with Mr Smith or Mr Barrett   will participate in concerts to pupils and parents to celebrate and share their success.            We also have Informal opportunities to sing or play at the Christmas Fayre, Sports Day and Rounders party.

·         Children have the opportunity to perform in our Christmas talent show. Also

·         Dance and drama club provides opportunities for singing and performing such as in the production of “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse”,

·         Opportunities are used for musical experiences through a range of activities in other subjects to enable children to apply and use music in real life and                academic contexts e.g. History- investigating the instruments first used by early man in the Stone Age. In R.E. children listen to music connected to other            faiths and festivals.i.e Judaism and Islam.

·         We offer a music afternoon as part of our whole school Wellbeing days.

·         We include Music as an important element of any focused week e.g. Geography Week, listening to music from different countries studied and learning              traditional songs.

·         Pupils have participated singing with The South Downs Concert Band at St Andrew and St Cuthman Church ,Steyning.

·         We encourage all pupils to experience live performance events across the year, including opera “The railway children “ at Gylndebourne  ( Years 5                      and 6), and “The Baddies” by Julia Donaldson theatre production (whole School). Also visits to see the Worthing Symphony Orchestra. These                              opportunities are subsidised by the school, as we highly value the experience these opportunities provide for the pupils. 

 ·        Parents and carers actively support music making, through support at events and through home learning.

·         Implement an early morning choir.( Purchase a new keyboard )

·         Change the Charanga  scheme used to the Model  Music Curriculum .

·         Implement ways for wider community performances

·         Implement ways to listen to a greater range of music genres during whole school worship

·         Implement opportunities for all years to attend live performances /Provide further fresh experiences in the form of concerts, visitors, trips, choir etc for                all pupils.

·         To establish musical engagement with feeder secondary schools– look for opportunities to work with feeder secondary school for transition.

·         Broaden the range of performance opportunities for children in school and beyond for parents to attend. – Summer Concert ??