Music
Music Curriculum Statement
At Nicol Mere, we believe that music is a powerful and enriching part of every child’s education. Our music curriculum is designed to be an enjoyable, inclusive, and inspiring experience, encouraging children to explore their creativity and build confidence through a wide range of musical opportunities.
Music is embedded as a core element of school life. It contributes significantly to children’s emotional wellbeing, self-expression, and cultural understanding, while nurturing their appreciation of the musical world around them.
Intent
Our intent is to:
- Set high expectations in music across the school, ensuring children experience a broad range of styles, genres, composers, and performance opportunities
- Deliver a progressive curriculum that builds knowledge, skills, and musical vocabulary over time
- Develop confidence in children’s musical ability, both individually and as performers
- Introduce pupils to the role of technology in music creation and production
- Enhance listening skills and use of musical language to analyse and appraise music effectively
- Provide exciting, hands-on musical experiences through singing, composing, and instrument use
- Promote our school values alongside British Values
- Prepare children for the next stages of their musical and educational journey
Implementation
Key Stage 1:
Children in KS1 are introduced to a wide variety of songs through weekly singing assemblies. They are encouraged to listen to a broad mix of music—including classical, popular, and music from around the world—during daily sessions, helping to develop musical awareness and appreciation. Pupils explore sound through tuned and untuned instruments, and begin to understand core musical elements such as rhythm, pulse, pitch, dynamics, and tempo. They also experience non-standard notation and participate in whole class compositions, often linked to other areas of the curriculum.
Key Stage 2:
In KS2, pupils continue developing their understanding of musical elements while deepening their compositional, performance, and appraisal skills. They learn to recognise and write musical notations including rhythm sticks and staff notation. In Year 4, children receive specialist teaching in brass instruments, allowing them to experience orchestral music first-hand. Composition projects become more structured, and children engage in critical listening activities that encourage thoughtful discussion about musical texture, timbre, and form.
Additional Musical Opportunities
Throughout their time at Nicol Mere, children are given the opportunity to:
- Perform in whole class assemblies and school productions
- Visit theatres and live orchestral performances to enhance their cultural awareness
- Take part in small group or individual instrumental lessons (Years 3–6), delivered by Wigan Music Service tutors
- Join the school choir, which performs for the school community and at local care homes
These experiences help pupils build self-confidence, develop a lifelong love of music, and gain a deeper appreciation for the performing arts.
Intent
The impact of our Music curriculum is evident in the confidence, creativity, and musical competence of our pupils. Children leave Nicol Mere with a broad understanding of music, having explored a diverse range of styles, instruments, and composers. They develop the ability to express themselves musically, perform with pride, and use accurate musical vocabulary to reflect on their learning.
By providing varied experiences both within and beyond the classroom, we ensure that children are well-prepared to pursue further musical interests and opportunities, wherever their journey takes them.