At Meath School, we value music as a powerful and unique form of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think, talk, act and learn. We believe that music learning enables the body and the mind to work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn the sounds and meanings of words, vital skills to develop talk and other forms of communication. Through listening to and talking about many kinds of music, both pre-recorded and live. Children can grow their own musical preferences and develop ways of using music for themselves. Gross motor skills can be progressed through moving to music and children develop fine motor skills through learning various musical instruments. All these first-hand opportunities to play and perform increase children’s self-expression and emotional health. Our aim is for every child to have the opportunity to grow their musical potential and we aim to nurture and encourage musical learning across the school. We hope to inspire a love of music which extends far beyond the classroom and into adult life.

Our adapted National Curriculum for music aims for all children to sing, listen, play, compose, perform and evaluate.  We introduce our children to the delights of music through structured music lessons. These occur as part of our arts rotation for all children, and everyone has access to a broad range of additional music opportunities throughout the year including opportunities to perform and work with outside music agencies.

The elements of music are carefully planned and differentiated class lessons, adapted to enable all children to participate. Where children have internet access at home, they can continue their music learning through online access to the Charanga Music Scheme. In addition, music is embedded in the wider classroom teaching as well as in the weekly class music lessons, various concerts, assemblies and performances. We intend to create a strong and positive bond within our school and join the community together – marking significant moments by singing together and listening to music, like during assemblies, instrumental performances, musical visitors into school and special events in the calendar.

Aims for our pupils at Meath:

· Enjoy and have an appreciation for music.

· Perform, listen to, review and evaluate a range of music.

· Sing and use their voices to create different effects.

· Begin to understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.

· Make comparisons and express personal preferences about music.

· Have opportunities to play a wide variety of un-tuned and tuned instruments.

· Take part in performances with an awareness of audience.

· To increase self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement.