Downs Junior School

MUSIC INTENT

At Downs Junior School we believe music is one of the most powerful uplifting forces known to humanity. Children are taught to harness a love of singing and music making. Music is taught as a multi-sensory creative experience and allows our children to connect deeply with themselves, collaborate with their peers and immerse themselves in the live creative process. Music brings our topic themes to life and music can thread through all areas of learning.

All children receive 45 minutes of music tuition per week and is taught by a music specialist.

The sheer joy of singing feeds the soul of Downs Junior School. Singing in our weekly 15-minute music assembly strengthens the bonds of trust throughout the school community.

Music is a powerful means of self-expression and as musicians, children learn to listen respectfully to live music making in music assembly and their weekly music lesson. Music is one of the central building blocks of culture and teaching music will enable children to understand where they have come from and their place in the world. Children’s cultural capital is enriched by respectfully listening to and appreciating great recorded music from the past and from around the world. 

At Downs Junior we aim to inspire the children through performing music as soloists and groups. Children are given many opportunities to play or sing to each other in class and at community events throughout the year. We seek to inspire children by inviting visiting musicians to perform to the children so they will see and hear great live music making.

Mega Choir is offered as a club before school every Wednesday, led by our music specialist.

We aim to nurture a positive attitude to singing, developing children’s cultural capital through memorising songs and connecting children to their heritage. Music is the soundtrack to our lives and connects us to each other in a uniquely personal way. At Downs Junior School we seek to enrich our children’s lives with the uplifting power of music.

Regular performances at Downs Junior School are a celebration of musical achievement. Children consolidate what they have learnt and will gain confidence and a sense of ownership of the music itself. We aim to create an environment where peers can listen and appraise each other’s performance and offer constructive feedback, thereby developing listening skills and meaningfully applying the use of musical vocabulary.