Music
School Vision
To give all the opportunity to be who God created them to be and have fullness of life.
Our Music Vision
To provide a high-quality musical education that is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging for all children.
Music Development Plan
Click here to view the St. Peter’s Elwick CofE Primary Music Development Plan 2025-26
St. Peter’s Elwick Music Curriculum
At St. Peter’s Elwick Church of England Primary School we follow the National Curriculum with a personalised Model Music Curriculum from Charanga. This individualised curriculum provides the substantive and disciplinary knowledge that children need to prepare them for success in their education journey and to prepare them for work in musical industries.
“Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. In our schools, music can bring communities together through the shared endeavour of whole-school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school.” (Quotation from the DfE’s Model Music Curriculum).
Music substantive knowledge is the learning based around: the notation, notes, pulse, dynamics, structure, rhythm, pitch, tempo, timbre and texture of different musical pieces.
Disciplinary music knowledge is based around the core pillars of the music curriculum: technical, constructive, expressive. This is demonstrated through Charanga using the three musical processes: composition and improvisation, listening and responding and performing (including singing).
St. Peter’s Elwick CofE Primary School promotes an environment where children can express themselves through playing a musical instrument. We work closely with Tees Valley Music Service, who provide instruments such as recorders, glockenspiels and ukuleles for all children to experience. Peripatetic instrument teachers bring their knowledge and skills to further enhance our children’s understanding of music and application of their skills.
Technical development involves children playing a musical instrument or singing a musical piece.
Constructive development looks at how a variety of musical components come together within a creative process. This allows children to experiment and create different sounds to see which sounds work well together.
The expressive pillar allows children to demonstrate their feelings through musical instruments and pieces. This includes playing and performing songs that the children have composed themselves.
Curriculum Overview
Key Documents
Music Disciplinary Knowledge Strand Progression Document
Music Substantive Knowledge Strand Progression Document
Key Musical Processes
Statement for SEND
St. Peter’s Elwick Church of England Primary School promotes a curriculum that puts all pupils, regardless of their needs, at the heart of what we do. By building mutual respect, we accept others for their differences believing that everyone is special and everyone has something to offer. Our inclusive and enriching curriculum, written for all children, provides pupils with meaningful and aspirational experiences as well as promoting personal growth for life-long learning. When the curriculum needs adapting, to suit the needs of individual children, appropriate modifications are made by the class teacher with support of the SENDCo and the Curriculum Subject Lead.
Early Years
At St. Peter’s Elwick Primary, we believe music is a powerful tool for nurturing creativity, confidence, and communication in our youngest learners. Our EYFS music curriculum is designed to:
- Foster a love of singing, rhythm, and sound exploration.
- Support children’s development across all seven areas of learning.
- Provide inclusive, playful experiences that encourage self-expression and collaboration.
Our music-rich environment includes:
- A dedicated music area with instruments and props
- Songs and poems woven into daily life
- Outdoor sound stations using natural materials
- Opportunities for spontaneous and structured musical play
Cultural Capital
Within St. Peter’s Elwick Church of England Primary School, Music lessons are fully resources ensuring all children can take part to learn to play a variety of musical instruments. We encourage all children from KS1 – KS2 to take part in musical instrument lessons within school including the glockenspiel, the recorder and the ukulele.
Tees Valley Music Service come into school to provide instrument tuition to our KS1 and KS2 pupils.
Working closely with Tees Valley Music Service allows us to provide additional music opportunities to children across our school. In addition to their work inside the classroom, Tees Valley Music also provide opportunities for 1:1 instrument tuition during the school day. These are available to children should they wish to learn how to play a musical instrument of their choice. More information can be found below in useful links.
Can my child learn an instrument in school?
As part of our Music curriculum, pupils will learn to play the glockenspiel, the recorder and the ukulele.
Children can also take additional instrument lessons in school provided by Tees Valley Music Service. Please see the links below for more information.
Useful links for parents
Any clubs, websites, agencies and organisations listed on this webpage outside of St Peter’s Elwick CofE Primary School are independent of the school.
