Music

At High Down Schools, our music curriculum intends to inspire creativity and self-expression, encourages our children on their musical journeys as well as giving them opportunities to connect with others.   As well as teaching a progressive musical programme as part of every pupil’s learning, we also offer a broad programme of enrichment from singing in the choir, performing in high quality musical productions and providing the opportunity for all children to learn a musical instrument. Our choir and instrumentalists have performed at Clifton College, at MAWS (an inter school concert), at local care homes and at the Memory Café (whose work supporting those with Alzheimer’s we are proud to be a part of). Many children also take up the opportunity to work with Peripatetic teachers to develop their skills with an individual instrument.

Music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. We provide a high quality music education that engages and inspires pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. As pupils progress, they develop a critical engagement with music, allowing them to compose, and to listen with discrimination to the best in the musical canon.

Our music curriculum is built around the Charanga music programme and, through this, the children develop their understanding, express themselves physically, emotionally and through discussion make musical judgements, apply their new learning and create their own musical ideas. Children sing and play first before being shown how this can be represented on a score. We endeavour to foster a life long love of music by exposing the children to diverse musical experiences and igniting a passion for music. By listening and responding to different musical styles and finding their voices as singers, performers and composers our children become confident, reflective musicians.