Autumn 1: Let Your Spirit Fly

This unit covers a range of genres, including: R&B; Musicals; Motown; Soul, and looks at the historical context of musical styles

Autumn 2: Winter Production Songs and Christmas Carols

Each year group has a song to learn for performance in the winter production as well as the finale song. 

Spring 1: Three Little Birds

This unit of work is based on songs from the Reggae genre. Children focus on instrument identification, composition and innovation. The material presents an integrated approach to music where games, the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked.

Spring 2: Dragon Song

This unit helps children develop their understanding of music from around the world and singing in two parts.

Recorders

Each class will learn the basics of how to play the recorder including reading basic notation, dynamics and gain an understanding of pitch. If your child would like to purchase a recorder to use, they would be very welcome however we do have several in school for them to borrow.

Summer 1: Bringing us together

A study of disco music with a heavy focus on performing and doing so with confidence.

Summer 2: Reflect, Rewind and Replay

To finish the year, children will listen to and appraise Western Classical music as well as looking back at their favourite music from the year.

Autumn 1: Mamma Mia  

All the learning for this unit is focused around one song: Mamma Mia.  Through this the children look at the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked.

Autumn 2: Winter Production Songs and Christmas Carols

Each year group has a song to learn for performance in the winter production as well as the finale song. 

Spring 1: Roman Songs

This unit of work is focused around the History topic of the Romans. Each class will enjoy learning a range of Roman inspired songs comparing to modern music.

Spring 2: Lean on Me

This unit is based on a soul/ gospel song by Bill Withers which contains appraisal of many other soul and gospel artists including Mary Mary, Elvis Presley and our local ACM Gospel Choir in Guildford.

Glockenspiel or Piano Course

Each year group will be learning to play an instrument in class during the course of the year.  Year 4 will work on  instrumental skills through learning the glockenspiel.

Summer 1: Blackbird

This unit covers a range of styles and genres as well as drawing together musical skills of listening and appraising, composing, improvising and performing.

Summer 2: Reflect, Rewind and Replay

To finish the year, children will listen to and appraise Western Classical music as well as looking back at their favourite music from the year.

Each year group will be learning to play an instrument in class during the course of the year.  Year 5 have the fantastic opportunity of learning to play the clarinet.  For their 10 week block, delivered by a teacher from Surrey Arts, the children are loaned a clarinet to use in school and to practise at home. 

For the rest of the year the children in year 5 will cover four of the units listed below.

Autumn 1: You've got a friend in me

This unit covers a range of styles and genres as well as drawing together musical skills of listening and appraising, composing, improvising and performing with a particular focus on rock anthems.

Autumn 2: Winter Production Songs and Christmas Carols

Each year group has a song to learn for performance in the winter production as well as the finale song. 

Spring 1: Happy!

All the learning for this unit is focused around one song: Dancing in the Street! -.  Through this the children look at the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked.

Spring 2: Music and Me!

In this unit, children use composition skills build throughout all prior units to create their own raps using the inter related dimensions of music to explore manipulating sound.

Summer 1: Dancing in the street

During the first half of the summer term, children enjoy learning about Motown music including the history of it and how it has influenced music today.

Summer 2: Reflect, Rewind and Replay

To finish the year, children will listen to and appraise Western Classical music as well as looking back at their favourite music from the year.

Autumn 1: Livin' on a Prayer

All the learning for this unit is focused around one song: Livin' on a Prayer.  Through this the children look at the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked.

Autumn 2: Winter Production Songs and Christmas Carols

Each year group has a song to learn for performance in the winter production as well as the finale song. 

Spring 1: Fresh Prince of Bel Air

All the learning for this unit is focused around one song: Fresh Prince of Bel Air.  Through this the children look at the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked. In addition, it draws together musical skills of listening and appraising, composing, improvising and performing.

Spring 2: Music History

Year 6 reflect on the music history they have learnt over the course of their time at Northmead and work on placing music they hear in chronological order. This may be based on recording technology, quality and instruments that they can hear. This is a way of bringing all their learning into context before learning their last song at Northmead next term.

Summer 1: Make you feel my love.

A unit with a heavy focus on performing and developing a love of learning a song as a whole year group.

Summer 2: Reflect, Rewind and Replay

To finish the year, children will listen to and appraise Western Classical music as well as looking back at their favourite music from the year.

Ukulele Course: Each year group will be learning to play an instrument during the course of the year. Year 6 will work on instrumental skills through learning the ukulele. They build upon music notation reading skills, using the inter related dimensions of music and other theory they have learnt to apply in the context of cords and performance for fun.