Recognising impact

This unit aims to help music teachers review and refine their practice in structuring learning so that there is an explicit focus on musical understanding.

The unit leads teachers to plan and teach units of work that:

• focus on pupils’ development of musical understanding;
• explore the conventions of a range of culturally diverse musical styles, genres and traditions;
• focus on the understanding of relevant features of musical elements and the development of specific musical skills;
• define detailed expectations of both musical learning and musical outcomes;
• enable learning through the provision of purposeful music activities.

This will enable teachers to:

• probe and extend learning by exploring a range of different ways of making music over the key stage, covering musical styles across time and place, musical genres and musical traditions;
• identify for each unit the generic purpose or context of the music, and its most pertinent conventions, processes and devices;
• focus learning on how to develop understanding of the features of musical elements needed to explore the relevant musical conventions;
• focus learning on how to develop the specific musical skills needed to explore relevant musical conventions in an effective musical experience;
• ensure that detailed expectations of learning for these features of musical elements and specific musical skills are identified;
• ensure that the learning of conventions is experienced through practical music making.

As a result, pupils can:

• develop their understanding of a culturally diverse range of musical styles, genres and traditions;
• understand how music reflects and is influenced by the contexts within which it is created, performed and listened to;
• articulate verbally and practically the conventions, processes and devices of different musical styles, genres and traditions;
• understand how the features of musical elements impact on music;
• use relevant practical skills for music making;
• be inspired by vibrant and relevant music making.