Music

Our Intent and Vision for Music at St Monica’s

At St Monica’s Primary School, we are MUSICIANS!
Our aim is to foster a lifelong love and enjoyment of music in every child. We believe music should be inclusive, engaging, and practical—accessible to all and woven throughout school life.

Our carefully planned music curriculum inspires creativity and develops an appreciation for music from a rich variety of cultures and traditions. Through listening, performing, composing, and evaluating, pupils explore a wide range of musical styles and are encouraged to express themselves and develop their own musical identity.

Music plays a vital role in the spiritual and religious life of our school. Singing is central to our worship, helping children to reflect, celebrate, and live out the values of our Catholic faith throughout the liturgical year.

To broaden musical understanding, we celebrate a Composer of the Month, introducing pupils to influential musicians from diverse backgrounds and genres. This initiative promotes curiosity, independent research, and a deeper awareness of music’s global significance.

Music is also linked to our wider curriculum and school themes. For example, during Black History Month, children explore the contributions of Black artists and their influence on music and culture. We also study local, British, and international musical traditions, giving pupils a global understanding of the world through sound.

Children develop key musical skills and knowledge through practical experiences—learning to listen attentively, perform confidently, compose creatively, and evaluate thoughtfully. These experiences nurture critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a deep appreciation of music as both an art form and a means of expression.

Through live performances, workshops, enrichment opportunities, and cross-curricular links, we make music a vibrant and valued part of every child’s education.
At St Monica’s, we are committed to nurturing the joy of music in every learner and celebrating the role it plays in shaping identity, community, and culture.

Following the implementation of our exciting new music curriculum, all children will experience playing four different instruments, learning to both read and compose musical notation.

How We Teach and Implement Music at St Monica’s

Music is taught in every year group from Nursery to Year 6 by music specialists from Sefton Music Service.

A clearly defined progression of skills ensures that pupils systematically build on prior learning and develop increasing technical, theoretical, and expressive competence.

Instrumental Learning at St Monica’s

Reception & Year 1: Percussion instruments and singing
Year 2: Percussion, singing, and ukulele
Year 3: Clarineo
Year 4: Brass (trumpets, trombones, baritones)
Year 5: Woodwind (clarinets)
Year 6: Violins

Key musical knowledge is revisited frequently to support long-term understanding. Retrieval practice and reflection on prior learning are built into every lesson.

Our planning ensures full coverage of the key musical concepts:
pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, structure, and notation.

Composer of the Month

Pupils engage with a diverse range of composers and musical styles through this initiative, which includes:

Playing selected pieces during entry times
Classroom visual displays
Links to cultural events and curriculum themes

Performance Opportunities

Performance is central to music at St Monica’s. Pupils regularly take part in:

Class assemblies and liturgical celebrations
Instrumental showcases and concerts
Whole-school performances and community events

Through this rich and structured approach, all pupils receive a high-quality music education that promotes creativity, technical skill, cultural understanding, and lifelong enjoyment of music.

EYFS – Our Early Years Music Curriculum

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, music supports learning across multiple areas: Expressive Arts and Design, Communication and Language, Physical Development, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

Children are encouraged to:

Listen actively and use their voices expressively
Explore rhythm, pitch, and pattern through play
Experiment with tuned and untuned instruments

Weekly sessions delivered by a Sefton Music Services specialist and continuous provision activities help children internalise key concepts such as pulse, pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, timbre, and duration.

Children sing, move, and create their own music through thematic units such as All About Me, Light and Dark, Sounds Around Me, and Holidays and the Seaside. These experiences also support literacy, maths, and personal development.

The EYFS music curriculum ensures a smooth transition into Key Stage 1, where pupils begin to read notation, compose, and learn instruments in a more structured way.

Measuring Impact at St Monica’s

The impact of our music curriculum is evident through outstanding progress over time, high levels of engagement, and a deep-rooted love for music.

By the time children leave St Monica’s, they will have reached at least age-related expectations, with many exceeding them through enriched performance and instrumental opportunities.

We measure success through:

Pupil voice – children speak confidently about the music they listen to, perform, and create
Performance outcomes – assemblies, showcases, and musical celebrations
Use of vocabulary – accurate discussion of musical elements (pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics)
Progress in practical skills – instrumental playing, ensemble work, and composition

Teachers assess progress by considering:

Engagement in lessons
Development of instrumental and compositional skills
Understanding of key concepts
Reflective discussion and use of musical terminology

Ultimately, children leave St Monica’s as confident, expressive, and creative musicians, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to enjoy music throughout their lives.

Extra-Curricular Music Opportunities

Alongside the curriculum, St Monica’s offers a range of extra-curricular music opportunities designed to inspire creativity, develop performance skills, and build confidence.
These sessions are led by experienced external music professionals and must be booked directly with the providers.

KS2 Choir

Our Key Stage 2 Choir provides children with the chance to sing together, perform in front of audiences, and represent the school at a variety of events.

Rehearsals take place every Friday until 4:15pm, focusing on hymns, seasonal music, and Christmas carols. The choir performs regularly in church services, assemblies, and school celebrations.

Rocksteady Music School

Rocksteady Music School offers pupils the exciting opportunity to be part of a real rock band, learning instruments, performing together, and developing teamwork through music.

Key features include:

No experience necessary – all instruments provided
End-of-term concerts to showcase progress
Opportunity to gain an Ofqual-regulated music qualification (accredited by Trinity College London)
Flexible membership with a money-back guarantee for the first month
Open to all year groups

Booking link: rocksteadymusicschool.com
Email: info@rocksteadymusicschool.com

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Link Music (Link Learning)

Link Learning provides high-quality, creative one-to-one tuition tailored to each child’s interests and abilities. Lessons are currently available in:

Piano
Guitar
Vocal coaching

Available to pupils in all year groups.

Booking link: linklearning.education/register

Create Music

Create Music offers group instrumental lessons in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Lessons are available from Year 2 upwards, and children are welcome to take part in free taster sessions before joining.

Booking link: wecreatemusic.co.uk

Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Music

Through both our new curriculum and our enrichment opportunities, St Monica’s aims to provide every child with a broad, high-quality musical education that develops creativity, confidence, and a love of performance.

Music at St Monica’s is about participation, expression, and enjoyment—helping every child to find their voice and discover the joy of making music together.