At Tewin Cowper, we believe that every child is musical. Inspired by our mustard seed vision, we nurture children’s natural enjoyment of music so that small experiences grow into confidence, creativity and a lifelong love of music. Music plays a central role in our school community and supports pupils’ personal, social and academic development.

What we want children to learn

We use Kapow Primary’s Music scheme as the basis for our teaching. Our intent is to help children see themselves as musicians and to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to become confident performers, composers and listeners. 

We aim for pupils to: 

• Develop confidence and enjoyment in making music 

• Sing fluently and expressively and play tuned and untuned instruments accurately 

• Improvise and compose music using a range of musical ideas 

• Listen and respond thoughtfully to music from a wide range of cultures, traditions and time periods 

• Understand how music is created, written down and performed 

Through music, pupils also develop important transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, creativity, problem-solving, decision-making and performance confidence. These skills support learning across the curriculum and beyond school. 

How learning happens

Music is taught through the Kapow Primary Music scheme, which provides a progressive and well-sequenced curriculum from EYFS to Year 6. Learning is structured using a spiral curriculum, allowing pupils to revisit and build upon skills and knowledge with increasing confidence and complexity. 

Teaching takes a holistic approach, weaving together the following key strands: 

• Performing 

• Listening 

• Composing 

• The history of music 

• The inter-related dimensions of music 

Across units, pupils learn to recognise and use the inter-related dimensions of music, including pitch, duration, tempo, timbre, structure, texture and dynamics. These are applied practically through singing, playing, improvising and composing. 

Lessons are practical, inclusive and engaging, incorporating movement, discussion and opportunities for collaboration. Pupils experience music from a wide range of styles, cultures and traditions, developing an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts in which music is created. Cross-curricular links are made where appropriate to support deeper learning. 

Music learning extends beyond the classroom through assemblies, church services, concerts, performances and clubs such as Singing for Fun. Pupils are inspired through visiting musicians and opportunities to learn musical instruments, enriching their musical experiences. 

What children achieve

Assessment is ongoing and purposeful, with teachers monitoring progress throughout lessons and across units to ensure all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately. 

By the time pupils leave Tewin Cowper, they will: 

• Be confident performers, composers and listeners 

• Sing and play instruments with increasing accuracy, control and expression 

• Improvise and compose music using musical vocabulary and notation 

• Appreciate and respect a wide range of musical styles from different cultures and historical periods 

• Understand how music is written down to support performance and composition 

• Articulate their own musical preferences and enthusiasm for music 

As a result, pupils leave Tewin Cowper believing in their musical abilities, growing in confidence and creativity, and succeeding as musicians who are well prepared for secondary education and a lifetime of enjoyment and engagement with music.