Music

At St. Augustine’s, we believe music is for everyone. We use the Charanga Musical School scheme, a fun, engaging and fully resourced programme that helps all children develop their musical skills and creativity. It supports our teachers with high-quality planning, interactive resources, and a wide range of songs and instruments.

Charanga covers all aspects of the music curriculum and helps us deliver well-structured, progressive lessons from Year 1 to Year 6.

Our Aims (Intent)

We want all children to:

• Enjoy making and listening to music
• Develop confidence through singing, playing instruments and performing
• Explore music from different cultures, styles and time periods
• Use musical vocabulary to talk about what they hear and create
• Build key musical skills—listening, composing, performing, and evaluating
• Feel inspired to continue enjoying music beyond primary school

How We Teach Music (Implementation)

Each year, pupils build their musical knowledge step by step. Lessons include:

• Listening and appraising – discovering music from around the world
• Singing – developing pitch, rhythm and control
• Playing instruments – including tuned and untuned percussion
• Creating and composing – writing and performing their own music
• Performing – sharing what they’ve learned with confidence

The Charanga scheme ensures clear progression across year groups, and includes digital tools, backing tracks, videos and interactive games to make music learning exciting and inclusive for all pupils.

Teachers regularly assess understanding through performance, discussions, games and creative activities, helping every child progress.

What Music Looks Like in Our Classrooms

• In Year 1, children explore simple rhythms, sing action songs and begin playing instruments.

• In Year 2, pupils develop pitch and rhythm skills and start performing in small groups.

• In Year 3, they learn to play melodies and rhythms on classroom instruments and begin composing.

• In Year 4, pupils use instruments like recorders or glockenspiels and take part in ensemble work.

• In Year 5, they focus on performance, layering sounds, and learning about dynamics and texture.

• In Year 6, children explore musical styles in more depth, compose their own music and perform with greater confidence and creativity.

The Impact of Our Curriculum

By the time children leave St. Augustine’s, they can:

• Talk about different styles of music using the correct vocabulary

• Perform with confidence—individually and as part of a group

• Play a variety of instruments and create their own compositions

• Listen carefully and respond to what they hear

• Appreciate music from different times, places and cultures 

Music for Life

We believe music can inspire future passions and careers. Our pupils might go on to be:

• Performers or singers

• Music producers or sound engineers

• Composers or songwriters

•  Instrumentalists

• Music teachers

• TV or radio presenters

​​Most importantly, they will leave us with a love of music and the confidence to continue exploring it throughout their lives.

Music Curriculum Map