Music
Music at Watling Street Primary
We are proud of our school’s commitment to music and exceptionally proud that Walsall Music Hub have continued to recognise the value we place on Music by awarding us the Music Mark for a second year in a row.
At Watling Street Primary School children have access to a high quality, practical, creative and engaging musical experience. Through our Music curriculum, our children develop a lifelong love of Music building their self-confidence, skills, knowledge and understanding over their time in school. This provides them with a secure foundation that enables them to take Music further in the future should they wish to. Our curriculum provides opportunities for self-expression and a sense of personal achievement, ensuring that every child fulfills their musical potential.
Children participate in a wide range of activities to develop their talents in all aspects of music including rhythm work, instrumental skills, composition, singing and musical appreciation. There are opportunities for singing, tuned and untuned percussion work, composition, and listening to live and recorded music. All children are taught the skills to be able to compose using musical instruments, their voices and body percussion - our annual whole school composition project is one of our favourite events.
Every child has the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument (other than voice) before leaving School, and Year Four upwards children are offered further peripatetic lessons in a variety of brass and woodwind instruments.
Children at Watling Street recognise that music is an enjoyable and relaxing experience which can improve their emotional wellbeing; reinforcing our whole school nurturing ethos. Children build on skills such as ‘determination, resilience, hard-work and courage’ when performing to an audience. We believe that opportunities for children to play in small groups or ensemble helps foster essential life skills such as co-operation, mutual support, self-discipline and commitment.
Our school choir meets weekly and performs as a large choir at the Young Voices concert annually. Children also have lots of opportunities to perform at events throughout the year, including leading whole school assemblies.
Music plays a vital role in helping children to feel part of our community. We organise and collaborate in projects to enable children to share their musical skills at different events both inside and outside of school.
Over the next 3 years (2024 - 2027) our development plans are:
To develop the children’s skills and knowledge in composition
To increase the percentage of children accessing wider opportunities music provision, including after school clubs, instrument lessons and community bands and choirs
To develop the role of our Music champions
To increase exposure to music from different cultures.