Gilbert Colvin Primary School

At Gilbert Colvin, our intention is to provide a high-quality music education which aims to inspire a lifelong appreciation of music. Music is all around us: it is creative, collaborative and celebratory. Through regular opportunities to engage with music, our curriculum develops children’s imagination and creativity, and nurtures their ability to communicate through this medium. We believe that exposing children to musical pieces and instruments from a wide range of cultures and traditions, and that truly reflect the community in which they live in, encourages them to be open-minded, as well as knowledgeable about the breadth of musical genres in the world today. Our children are encouraged to engage critically with music and understand its purpose and effect.

Our music lessons are taught by a specialist instructor from Redbridge Music Service and our curriculum follows the key areas which contribute towards an increasing development of musicianship:

Singing

Children learn how to sing and use their voices with increasing confidence and control. Children learn how to sing in harmony, match pitch and consider different speeds, rhythms and styles of singing.

Listening

Listening is fundamental to understanding music.  Children will be taught to listen with discrimination to a wide range of quality musical canon. By listening attentively, children will have the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings towards a piece of music and evaluate its effect. 

Composing

Through the composition process, children start by improvising using simple vocal chants and creating short sequences of sounds based on what they have heard, to composing pieces using musical instruments, such as ukuleles.  Musical notation is introduced in Key Stage 2.

Performance

Creating opportunities to perform, celebrate, share and experience music of all kinds, consolidates music learning and allows children to build musical confidence through active engagement, both as performers and as an audience.  At Gilbert Colvin Primary, the children have the opportunity to listen to live music (from ensembles invited in to school and the music teacher) and perform in concerts themselves.

Redbridge Schools Choral Festival

In Year 5 and 6, children will have the opportunity to take part in the biennial Redbridge Schools Choral Festival at the Royal Albert Hall. This experience is invaluable in many ways: children’s performance skills are further developed, they understand the hard work and dedication that goes into preparing for a performance and pupils experience the wonder of performing at such an iconic venue.

What our children think of Music at Gilbert Colvin Primary School:

“I like when we dance to the music. We listen to lots of different types of music that I haven’t heard before” – Reception child.
“It is interesting when we learn about the history of music and who inspired people in the music industry.  We have used software to compose our own piece of music on the laptops.  I like experimenting with vocals and base lines” - Year 6 child.