Music
At Arnesby, children gain a good understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, and composing across a variety of styles, traditions, and musical genres. We are committed to developing a curiosity and enjoyment for the subject, as well as an understanding of the importance of all types of music. Units and lessons are sequenced to build on previous learning and to enable progression. Units have been chosen to provide strong foundations for children in preparation for music in their next phase of education. We aim to provide children with the opportunity to progress to the next level of their creative development.
The music curriculum ensures children sing, listen, appraise, play, perform and evaluate. This is embedded in the classroom activities as well as singing in assemblies, concerts and class assemblies. Through the music curriculum, teachers can produce inclusive lessons for all children to access the musical curriculum in a fun and engaging way. There is a clear focus on the key elements of music so that children can use specific vocabulary and understand the foundations of music.
In the classroom, children learn how to play glockenspiels and a variety of tune and untuned percussion instruments. They also learn how to compose, focusing on different dimensions of music, which in turn feeds their understanding when listening, playing, or analysing music. Composing or performing using body percussion and vocal sounds is also part of the curriculum, which develops the understanding of musical elements without the added complexity of an instrument.
Music enables children to develop an understanding of culture and history through the range of music and styles studied. Children have the opportunity to discuss and share their own thoughts, opinions and ideas, acknowledging and respecting that these may vary and that this is positive. Children have an understanding of how to further develop skills less known to them to enable them to understand and enjoy different genres of music.
Arnesby Music Curriculum Two Year Cycle
Arnesby School Music Development Plan 2025 2026
Art & Design
At Arnesby, we believe that:
- Art helps us thrive.
- Every child is entitled to a high-quality art education.
- Every child deserves the opportunity to explore how art can help them find their voice.
The Art curriculum at Arnesby is a mixed age rolling 2 year cycle from Access Art and is structured around the following five themes of exploration:
- Drawing and sketchbooks
- Print, colour and collage
- Working in three dimensions
- Paint, surface, texture
- Collaboration and community
We engage all children by introducing them to a diverse range of artists who explore a wide range of materials, techniques, and themes. By helping children understand the many purposes of art, we can ensure that every learner finds a meaningful way to engage and succeed.
Modern Foreign Language (MFL)
At Arnesby, our Modern Foreign Language part of the curriculum is Spanish in Key Stage Two. We aim to inspire children to feel that they are able to talk confidently and be understood. When learning a new language we focus on speaking and listening to ensure that key components (phonics, vocabulary and grammar) are part of engaging and enjoyable learning.
Pronunciation and phonics are essential for effective Spanish speaking and listening. Where possible, we use hooks in English words to support Spanish phonics (such as “z” in Spanish sounds like “th” as in “think” in English). This way, we can support children by helping them recognise familiar sounds or identify similarities across the languages to support their learning.
We explore use of Spanish vocabulary in both spoken and written exercises to promote retention and develop reading and listening skills at the same time. The majority of lessons are taught primarily in Spanish with English being used to offer clarification where necessary. This immersive learning approach ensures that children experience consistent high quality Spanish speaking to help to develop their confidence in the language.
We select topics that will interest and inspire our children to ensure that the language the children are learning is purposeful.
Spanish at Arnesby covers:
- learning to introduce and talk about themselves
- their home and school environments
- pets that they have or want,
- being able to order food in a Spanish speaking restaurant.
