Music

The Outcome – To Create Musicians

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Music Mark Certificate 2023 – 2024 Download (pdf)

Music at Lime Tree provides a unique vehicle for children to express themselves, tune into their emotions and uncover hidden talents. Through a range of musical experiences, children’s creativity has no limits! 

Children at Lime Tree learn music through weekly lessons, tuition from the local music service and/or through our Enrichment programme in Key Stage Two. Embedded within the teaching of music at Lime Tree are the three knowledge strands, in order to unleash children’s musical potential. They are, ‘knowledge of music’, ‘knowledge about music’, and ‘knowledge of how to music’. Within these three strands, children’s sequence of learning is categorised into the following areas of study; ‘sing’, ‘listen’, ‘perform’ and ‘compose’. Across school, teachers have the opportunity to utilise “The Music Year” too, which helps to structure our school-wide weekly playlist. 

Knowledge of Music 

Children have varied opportunities to listen to recorded and/or live pieces of music from a wide range of musical genres, cultures, traditions and backgrounds. Listening exercises are expressive and interactive and might be through movement, drawing or facial expressions. Across school, listening exercises deepen and challenge children’s musical knowledge. For example, the weekly playlist played from our school-wide sound system stimulates discussion about the composition and history of music as well as provides shared listening opportunities across year groups. Questioning, following listening, might focus on: What is the mood of the piece? What instruments/vocals can you identify? What are inter-related dimensions of the piece of music (e.g. dynamics/pitch/tempo)? How does the piece of music compare to another piece of music? How is the piece of music structured? What era is this piece of music from?

Knowledge about Music 

The inter-related dimensions of music are explored in order for children to get the best out of their practical musical learning. Musical theory at Lime Tree is taught through engaging, active and practical methods, utilising instruments, the voice, digital technology and/or the body. 

Knowledge of ‘how to’ Music

With close links to ‘The Music Year,’ and through digital technologies, vocals, tuned and untuned instruments; children are given the opportunity to:

• Explore 
• Improvise and compose
• Perform

Compositions are recorded through notation, music apps, video and live performances and receive teacher and peer feedback which assess fluency, accuracy, control, expression and structure. By the end of KS2, all children will have accessed some specific instrument tuition, ranging from learning the ukulele, the flute, the recorder and the guitar; and had opportunities to perform solo or as part of a group in whole school assemblies, within the local community, and within live borough-wide concerts.  

Collaboration

Children’s musical learning at Lime Tree benefits from strong links to Trafford Music Service, being a Music Mark school and further partnerships within the community such as Sale Youth Choir. 

Instrument lessons and instrument hire are available in school through Trafford Music Service. For information about what is on offer and prices please visit the following link: Lime Tree Academy | Trafford Music Service. Children who are learning an instrument at home, and soon at school, can join Trafford Music Service’s ensembles which are in Sale. All of the information can be found at this link: Ensembles | Trafford Music Service

Children who are interested in pursuing their love of singing in addition to their music lessons in school, can contact Mrs Crosby or Mrs Cooper about joining our Lime Tree choir, open to all KS2 children. We support other choirs in the local area including Sale Youth Choir and Trafford Music Service’s choirs too. Please see the details of our local choirs below:

Through our rich music programme, we are able to collaboratively develop the whole child: to add to children’s well-being toolboxes, and to develop positive behaviour, self-discipline, self-motivation and teamwork – all of great importance as we prepare children for life beyond Lime Tree.