At The Academy of Woodlands we foster a love and understanding of music through listening, performing and composing. Music promotes appreciation of the richness and diversity of genres and cultures. Music celebrates our differences and connects us with our world, each other and ourselves. It triggers the release of feel-good chemicals into our brains, helps with concentration and affects how we feel. Music is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way pupils feel, think and act. It allows opportunity for personal expression and plays an important part in the personal development of an individual. At The Academy of Woodlands, our Music curriculum aims to promote the enthusiasm for, and the enjoyment of, music in all its forms. We want them to develop a curiosity of different musical styles and value music from other periods of time, culture and countries. By engaging children in musical experiences, we offer our children opportunities to develop skills, attitudes and attributes that can develop life skills such as listening, the ability to concentrate, creativity, self-confidence and sensitivity towards others and the environment. To ensure our pupils have the best opportunity to acquire and nurture their musical talents, we use ‘Charanga’, a program that teaches the children to listen and respond to a variety of musical genres, through the medium of singing, playing instruments, exploring form and composing their own musical creations. They will develop an understanding of the historical and cultural content of the music they listen to and learn how music can be written down. These lessons are linked to the topic where possible
