Music
Music is life. That’s why our hearts have beats
– Cecily Morgan
Why teach Music?
At Southill Primary School, we believe that music should be an enjoyable, creative and inclusive part of every child's education.
We want children to develop a love of music and the confidence to see themselves as musicians. Throughout their time at Southill, pupils learn to sing, listen, perform, compose and make music together.
Our aim is for every child to leave Southill having experienced the enjoyment and sense of achievement that comes from making and performing music.
Our Music Curriculum
We use Charanga to support the teaching of a progressive music curriculum from Reception to Year 6.
Through our curriculum, children progressively develop their knowledge and understanding of:
- singing
- listening and responding
- performing
- composing
- improvising
- musicianship
- musical notation
Children encounter music from a broad range of styles, periods, traditions and cultures.
As they progress through the school, pupils develop their understanding and use of musical vocabulary, including:
pulse • rhythm • pitch • tempo • dynamics • timbre • texture • structure • notation
Music lessons are practical and give children regular opportunities to sing, play, listen, create and perform.
Singing at Southill
Singing is an important part of school life.
Every week, children come together for a whole-school singing assembly, developing their confidence, enjoyment and ability to sing collectively.
Singing also features throughout our curriculum, celebrations and performances.
Our school choir, Pop Stars, gives children an additional opportunity to develop their singing and performance skills.
Learning an Instrument
Children have opportunities to develop their instrumental skills through curriculum music.
We also offer specialist guitar and drum tuition to pupils in Years 5 and 6.
We want financial circumstances to be as little a barrier as possible to children developing their musical interests, so discounted instrumental tuition is available for pupils eligible for Pupil Premium.
Pop Stars
Pop Stars is our school choir.
Children rehearse and sing together, developing their vocal skills, confidence and enjoyment of performing as part of a group.
Pop Stars also provides opportunities for children to perform and share their music with others.
Rock Band
Our weekly Rock Band club gives children the opportunity to experience what it is like to be part of a band.
Children work together to form a band, rehearse songs and develop their instrumental and vocal skills before working towards performing at an event.
Rock Band develops children's musicianship as well as important skills such as teamwork, listening, perseverance and confidence.
Performing at Southill
Performance is an important part of our music provision.
Across their time at Southill, children have a range of opportunities to develop their confidence and perform to others.
These include:
- KS1 Christmas Production
- Years 3 and 4 Christingle Performance
- Year 4 Shakespeare Performance
- Year 5 Poetry Performance
- Year 6 End-of-Year Performance and Leavers' Song
- Pop Stars performances
- Rock Band performances
These experiences give children a genuine purpose for rehearsing and performing while helping them develop confidence in front of an audience.
A Music Room of Our Own
We are fortunate to have a dedicated music room at Southill.
This provides a space for curriculum music, instrumental tuition, rehearsals and extra-curricular music-making and helps give music a visible place within school life.
Music for Everyone
We believe that music is for every child.
Our music curriculum is ambitious and inclusive. Teachers make appropriate adaptations so that pupils with SEND and other additional needs can participate successfully in music-making.
We also consider the barriers that may prevent disadvantaged pupils from accessing opportunities beyond curriculum lessons.
This includes providing discounted guitar and drum tuition for pupils eligible for Pupil Premium and monitoring participation in our wider music offer.
We want every child to have opportunities to experience the enjoyment of making music.
Working with Dorset Music Hub
We work in partnership with Dorset Music Hub to strengthen our music provision and connect children with wider musical opportunities.
Through this partnership, we continue to explore opportunities for:
- instrumental learning
- performances and live music
- staff development
- musical enrichment
- ensembles and events
- progression for children who develop a particular interest or talent in music
Developing Music at Southill
We continually review and develop our music provision.
Our Music Development Plan 2026/27 sets out how we are strengthening curriculum music, instrumental opportunities, ensembles, performance, inclusion and children's experience of live music.
Our key priorities for 2026/27 are to:
- strengthen instrumental opportunities
- develop ensemble and performance opportunities
- strengthen our partnership with Dorset Music Hub
- widen access and participation
- increase children's experience of live music
Music Leadership
Music Subject Leader: Dan Bell
Our Music Subject Leader monitors the quality and progression of music across the school and leads the continued development of our music provision.
Bright Futures Music Curriculum Documents
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Bright Futures Curriculum - MUSIC
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download_for_offlineBright Futures Curriculum - MUSIC