"At Springdale, we believe that music empowers children and gives them an outlet to express themselves creatively."
Music education is an important part of a child’s learning and should not be underestimated. At Springdale, we believe that music empowers children and gives them an outlet to express themselves creatively. Our high quality music curriculum will enhance children’s language development, co-ordination, listening skills, teamwork skills, confidence, resilience and self-awareness. Our children will have regular access to instruments, a varied song catalogue and the opportunity to perform and shine throughout their time at Springdale.
Curriculum design:
‘A good musical education is underpinned by robust, direct and incremental teaching that provides knowledge of music’s technical and constructive aspects. This knowledge is learned in the context of music’s history and provenance, allowing pupils to make increasingly sophisticated, expressive responses and gain musical meaning. Together, these pillars contribute to what could be described as ‘musical meaning’.
Our music curriculum comprises of the following concepts:
- Artists, style and history
- Performance (instrumental)
- Performance (singing)
- Listening
- Composing and improvising
- Appraising
- Musical notation
Children at Springdale have regular access to instruments, a varied song catalogue and the opportunity to perform and shine throughout their time here.
Instrument lessons
Children in Years 2, 3 and 4 have whole class recorder lessons. For children who want to develop their musical talents even further, we offer peripatetic music lessons in a range of instruments including guitar, violin and piano. These lessons are available from Year 3 onwards. If your child is interested in starting music lessons, then please enquire for more details at the school office.
Singing is also a big part of our school life with regular singing in assemblies, in class and in music lessons.
Musician of the Month runs alongside our high quality music curriculum at Springdale. Musicians are carefully selected for the children to learn about each month. We focus on a wide range of music with the aim of creating a culture of musical appreciation and understanding within our school.
At our school, we are passionate about developing a love of music and introducing children to a wide range of musical styles, genres and influential performers. Each month, we celebrate a Musician of the Month, providing opportunities for pupils to listen to different types of music, learn about significant artists and composers, and explore how music has shaped cultures and communities around the world. Through daily opportunities for listening in assemblies, children will broaden their musical knowledge and appreciation while discovering new favourites.
Our Musicians of the Month for 2026/27 are:
September - Elvis Presley
October - Aretha Franklin
November - Joseph Haydn
December - Bee Gees
January - The Beatles
February - The Supremes
March - Stevie Wonder
April - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
May - Taylor Swift
June - Elton John
July - Celine Dion
We look forward to sharing these musical journeys with our pupils and celebrating the rich diversity of music throughout the year.
What is a knowledge organiser?
A knowledge organiser is a unit of learning, containing key knowledge and information that children need to know to have developing understanding of a concept in a subject. We refer to the knowledge as being “Sticky knowledge” as the children are expected to remember and recall key facts in all areas of the curriculum as they continue their learning journey through school.
Our knowledge organisers will include:
- Essential knowledge about a concept, usually laid out in easily digestible chunks.
- What the children will have learnt in the previous year linked to this concept (prior learning).
- Key vocabulary or technical terms.
- An enquiry question to support the learning of Sticky knowledge.
- Cultural capital opportunities for every unit. (Identifying how this learning fits into wider opportunities).
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The school hall buzzed with anticipation as Peter from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra took centre stage, bringing with him the gleaming allure of brass instruments. Children's eyes widened as he introduced the trumpet, trombone, and tuba, demonstrating their unique sounds and explaining how each instrument created its resonant tones. Peter's engaging presentation brought classical music to life, with a lively rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In" that had toes tapping. He then surprised and delighted the audience with a brass-infused version of the modern hit "Havana," showcasing the versatility and vibrant energy of these instruments.
The assembly sparked a wave of enthusiasm, leaving many children eager to explore the world of brass. For those inspired to learn, details were provided regarding Saturday morning lessons held at Lytchett Minster School. These lessons offered a fantastic opportunity for aspiring musicians to begin their brass journey, guided by experienced instructors. The provided information encouraged children to pursue their newfound passion and discover the joy of creating music themselves.
