Music
Subject Overview
Rockmount has a thriving Music department led by a specialist Music teacher. Music is an integral part of our school curriculum and we believe it helps children to become independent and confident learners as well as developing a passion for music.
Intent
At Rockmount Primary School, children understand what it is like to be a musician. They listen to, appraise and appreciate a wide variety of musical genres and styles, sing a huge array of songs ranging from traditional Indian songs to modern day hits, learn how to play different instruments, improvise and compose their own music and take part in performances. We are committed to ensuring children understand the value and importance of music to their own and others’ lives and wellbeing and also the impact music has in the wider community.
Implementation
Our specialist music teacher delivers lessons in a creative and enjoyable style from our very own music hub.
The children receive:
- Curriculum Music lessons delivered weekly by a specialist Music teacher to every class, from Nursery through to Year 6.
- Singing assemblies aimed at developing the children’s ability to sing for pleasure as well as with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
- The opportunity to learn to play an instrument, with whole class tuition of tuned and untuned percussion, singing, ukuleles, and keyboards.
- A variety of extra-curricular music clubs, including choirs, keyboard clubs, orchestra, samba band, tuned percussion club and recorder club.
- Whole school music initiatives to help ignite a passion for music (Musician of the Month, the Busk Stop).
- Performance opportunities throughout the year to showcase the children’s musical achievements, such as school concerts, fairs, musical productions, the Rockmount Summer Proms Concert series, Young Voices (at the O2 Arena) and the Croydon Schools Junior Choir (CSMA Music Festival at Fairfield Halls). We are a partner school of the London Mozart Players and as a result our children have been invited to watch and participate in LMP concerts, workshops and events as well as our school orchestra and upper junior choir getting to perform alongside the LMP orchestra at several of their concerts.
We also offer instrumental tuition for piano, guitar, electric bass, drum kit, violin, cello, flute, trumpet and trombone. In addition to these instrumental lessons children have the opportunity to learn with Rocksteady, where groups of children are taught together as a ‘rock band’. Information on how to apply for instrumental tuition (including Rocksteady) can be found on our Music tuition page.
Impact
Children will:
- Enjoy music in as many ways as they choose – either as listener, creator or performer.
- Develop an understanding of culture and history through music.
- Have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive.
- Be provided with opportunities beyond the National Curriculum to further and support their understanding. These include having visitors with a musical talent, visiting concerts and school productions. External interests and talents are also encouraged and showcased in class and assemblies.
Curriculum Map
Golden Threads
Photo Gallery
Pupil Voice
"I love playing on the keyboards!"
Year 3 pupil
"The best bit about Music lessons is playing on the instruments."
Year 2 pupil
"I like making up my own music"
Year 4 pupil
"I liked that we all worked together as a team to perform our songs"
Rocksteady performer
Year 5 pupils (after watching a Rocksteady Concert):
"My favourite part of the concert was seeing how if you enjoy doing things like this, you can learn really quickly - so it means I could do it too! I thought it was very exciting seeing my friends perform and I felt proud that people from my class could do that."
"It was an amazing concert, I liked how everyone loved performing!"
"I really liked how they played and sang!"
Work Samples
Click below to see and hear our musicians in action.
Useful Links
How to learn a musical instrument at Rockmount
Please see our music tuition page for all the details on how to start learning an instrument at Rockmount. Here you will find how and where to apply for lessons, as well as some help to decide which instrument to learn.
Extra curricular music at Rockmount
Click on the link below to take you to our Extra-Curricular Music page
Music Websites
Here are some music websites to support your musical learning as well as for some musical fun at home!
A fun way to learn and improve your knowledge of the musical elements with BBC Bitesize
- Incredibox One of my favourites! Incredibox is a music app and website that lets you create your own music with the help of a merry crew of beatboxers.
- Chrome Music Lab Chrome Music Lab is a website that makes learning music more accessible through fun, hands-on experiments.
- Ukulaliens Ukulele play along videos and lessons - they are great! Don't forget you can make the playback speed slower on Youtube.
- Ukulele Rocks! Great resource for children to learn and play ukulele at home
- Jam Zone - Little Kids Rock Great if you have instruments at home. Select a song and your instrument and play along with the band. Tutorials to help learn the instruments too.
- BBC Ten Pieces BBC Ten Pieces is An initiative for schools, led by BBC Learning and the BBC Performing Groups that aims to open up the world of classical music to children and inspire them to develop their own creative responses.
- Bring the Noise Bring the Noise is another BBC initiative to help primary school teachers and parents inspire children to become musicians. Lots of fun resources to explore.
- Sing Up Access to specially arranged songs. We use lots of these songs in school. You can register as a friend to start exploring Sing Up for free
- Classics for Kids Great website that includes lots of educational resources and games
- Composer of the Month Composer biographies, Musical timeline, videos and resources. Great way to explore the history of music and some amazing composers.
- Learning Music with Ableton Another of my favourites! Introduces the basics of composition using a sequencer. Gives step by step instructions and explains everything really clearly.
- David Walliams - Marvellous Musical Podcast A series of podcasts aimed at introducing children to the wonderful world of classical music – and as you’d expect from David Walliams, it’s in an amusing way!