Music at Ark Kings

At Ark Kings Academy, our Music curriculum strives towards the following aims:

  1. Pupils become proficient musicians and vocalists through singing, creating and composing, performing, listening to, reviewing and evaluating music
  2. Pupils study a broad and balanced range of artists, composers, genres and styles, allowing them to explore how music is created, produced and communicated

Music Curriculum Overview

 

Music Curriculum Overview: Outline of taught and assessed content     

The table below outlines the whole curriculum overview for this subject area and shows the journey that pupils take throughout Ark Kings.  

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Nursery

What is my favourite Nursery Rhyme?

Exploring sound in the environment.

How do instruments sound like animals?

A world of water – Making instruments.

Reception

All about me

Me and my friends

Me and my school

Journeys and Adventures

Transports,

Around the world, Pirates

Out and about

Exploring the environment outside and the people we meet

Growth

The garden, Mini-beasts and Jack and Beanstalk

Habitats

The animals of farm and tropical  rainforest habitats

Out of this world

Exploring Space and under the Sea.

Year 1

Exploring Pulse

Finding and responding to the heartbeat of Music

Exploring the Voice

Using the voice in different ways

Exploring Rhythm

Understanding the relationship between rhythm and words

Exploring Pitch

Recognising and responding to high and low sounds.

Musical Opposites

Opposites  in duration, tempo. Pitch and dynamics

The Gruffalo/Musical Devices

Creatively exploring sounds, within a given context

Year 2

Exploring Pulse and Metre

Maintaining the pulse and exploring different metres

The Expressive Elements

Gradual changes in dynamics and tempo

Exploring Rhythm

Differentiating between rhythm and pulse

Exploring Pitch

Recognising and responding to changes in pitch shape

Exploring Sound Sources

different sound sources and how sound is produced

Non-musical stimulus

Literature

Creatively exploring sounds, within a given context

Year 3

Developing Pulse and Metre

Exploring time signatures

Instrumental: introduction to recorders

Exploring Sound Sources

Body percussion

Instrumental: introduction to recorders

Developing Rhythm

Improvising rhythm patterns and read rhythmic notation

Instrumental: development of recorder technique

Developing Pitch

The Pentatonic scale (5-notes)

Instrumental: development of recorder technique

Repetition and Contrast

Simple structures used to organise musical sound

Instrumental: performing to an audience

Non-musical stimulus- poetry

Exploring how sounds can be combined and used expressively

Instrumental: performing to an audience

Year 4

Developing Pulse and Metre

Exploring time signatures

Instrumental: introduction to djembe

Exploring Sound Sources

Exploring percussion

Instrumental: introduction to djembe

Developing Rhythm

Improvising rhythm patterns and read rhythmic notation

Instrumental: development of djembe technique

Developing Pitch

The Octave Scale

Melodies

Instrumental: development of djembe technique

Repetition and Contrast

Simple structures used to organise musical sound

Instrumental: djembe performance

Non-musical stimulus

Visual

Exploring how sounds can be combined and used expressively

Instrumental: djembe performance

Year 5

Exploring Duration

Exploring on beat and off beat rhythms

Instrumental: introduction to ukuleles

Exploring Sound Sources

Body percussion

Junk percussion

Instrumental: introduction to ukuleles

Rhythmic Cycles

Exploring rhythms of non-western world music

Instrumental: development of ukulele technique

Understanding Tonality

Major/minor

Instrumental: development of ukulele technique

Understanding Structure

Accompaniment and layers

Instrumental: ukulele performance

Composing a Rap/beatbox

Exploring Hip hop to compose our own Rap lyrics

Instrumental: ukulele performance

Year 6

Exploring Metre

Exploring  complex time signatures

Instrumental: introduction to keyboards

Understanding Harmony

Introduction to Chords and triads

Singing in harmony

Instrumental: introduction to keyboards

Exploring Rhythm

Exploring syncopation in non-western music

Instrumental: development of keyboard technique

Exploring Texture

Melody and accompaniment

Instrumental: development of keyboard technique

Understanding Structure

Exploring different ways music can be organised

Song structure

Instrumental: introduction to Band Musicianship

Song writing

The role of lyric writing in expressing mood and attitude in songs

Instrumental: introduction to Band Musicianship

Year 7

Music – The Keyboard

Band Musicianship – Introduction to the Band

Music –

Band Musicianship – Forming a Band

Music –

Band Musicianship – Performing in a Band

Year 8

Music – Samba Band

Band Musicianship – Development of your band

Music - Introduction to sequencing on Logic Software

Band Musicianship – Composing a song as a band

Music – Sequencing a composition using Logic

Band Musicianship – Performing to an audience

Year 9

Class Ensemble - Arts Award

Composing and arranging using Logic Software

Arranging a band piece on Logic Software

Year 10

Solo Performing

Ensemble Performing

Free Choice Composition

Conventions of Pop - Listening

Film Music - Listening

Solo & Ensemble Performance Recordings

Year 11

Final Solo Performing Recordings

Free Choice Composition Recording

Given Stimulus Composition

Music of other cultures - Listening

The Concerto through time - Listening

Listening Exam – Early June

Pupil Performances

Year 6 Ukulele Performance, December 2021: