Music at St. Gregory's

Music forms a key part of the curriculum at St. Gregory’s. All children from reception to year 6 receive a weekly class music lesson. To ensure progression and continuity throughout the school, the curriculum for the whole school is based on Charanga, an online teaching resource. The scheme covers all aspects of the National Curriculum for Music, including listening to a wide variety of recorded music; developing vocal skills; and playing instruments such as the glockenspiels, recorders and a wide range of percussion instruments.

The ‘Interrelated Dimensions of Music’ (the building blocks of practical musicianship) are taught from Early Years to the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils have regular opportunities to appraise, compose and perform music.

Accessibility to All

• St. Gregory’s provides a solid foundation for pupils’ future musical learning

• All pupils are able to access the curriculum

• Progress is measured from each pupil’s own starting point

• All musical contributions are valued

• Choir open to Year 5 and 6 pupils

Progression

• Progression made, supported and modelled by their teacher

• Work more on the quality and complexity of the sounds

Achievement

• Progressive curriculum: flexible and challenging

• There are regular opportunities for pupils to showcase their progress and attainment

In the Early Years and Key Stage 1, pupils:

• learn phonics and counting through the medium of rhythm and song, for example. 

• use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs
   and speaking chants and rhymes

• play musical instruments - both tuned and untuned

• listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music across a broad range of musical genres.

• experience confidence-building events e.g. assemblies and the infamous Nativity!

In Lower Key Stage 2, pupils:

• sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control

• develop an understanding of musical composition

• play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts

• use their voices and play musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression. 

• begin attending Mass weekly from the start of Year 3 - singing hymns (COVID-free times)

• are offered private peripatetic instrument lessons.

In Upper Key Stage 2, pupils:

• Improvise and compose music

• Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory.

• Understand the staff, recognise musical notes and other musical notations.

• Deepen their appreciation of music drawn from different traditions and time periods.

• Learn about great composers and musicians from the past and present.

• Discover the origins and history of the music they study and how styles of music evolve.

• From Year 5: can join the St. Gregory’s Choir!

‘Performing Arts’ Room

The school has a dedicated ‘Performing Arts’ Room, which is well-equipped with a comprehensive range of musical instruments, including, percussion instruments, keyboards, acoustic and digital pianos. This learning space is used for choir, assembly and drama rehearsals, instrumental tuition and extra-curricular musical activities.

Singing in Worship and in the Wider Community

Reception and KS1 children learn simple hymns and songs with actions, whilst KS2 practise the hymns and Mass sung responses in readiness for worship at Friday Mass at Ealing Abbey.

There is a school choir consisting of year 5 and 6 pupils, which leads the singing at Abbey Mass. The choir also participates in many events in the local area:  Light the Lane; Party in the Park; carol singing at local nursing homes; and twice-yearly inter-school concerts at St. Barnabas’ Church, Pitshanger Lane.