Music Curriculum

Music at St Austin's...

At St Austin’s School we want every child to be happy and enthusiastic learners of Music, and to be eager to achieve their very best in order to fulfil their God-given talents. We firmly believe that the recipe for success is high quality first-wave teaching in Music, which is central to the life of our happy, caring school.

At St Austin's we are really lucky enough to have following musical opportunities:

• Weekly Music lessons (1 hour) taught by a BWH music specialist for Years 5 & 6, Charanga scheme taught by the class teacher in Years 3 and 4.
• Music lessons in KS1 follow the National Curriculum / Charanga 
• Guitar Lessons
• Clarinet Lessons 
• Flute Lessons
• Whole class Recorder lessons
• Whole class Glockenspiel lessons
• Choir - attended Young Voices each years from 2019 - 2024, performed at local nursing homes during the Christmas period, performed at Stafford Gatehouse (Feb 2020). 
• Y3 perform annually at St Mary's Church Christmas Tree Festival as well as with Manchester Camerata
• Whole school hymn practice
• One Life Music & faith retreats
• Cross-curricular singing opportunities (e.g. MFL / Geography)

As a part of our cultural capital, children will learn about key composers, periods of music and instruments from Music history.

The Best of the Best...

Here are some famous composers and musicians from the world of music.

Could you aspire to be one of them in the future?

Wolfgang Mozart                Ed Sheeran               Lera Auerbach             Clara Schumann

Opportunities last year (2022-2023):

-All KS2 pupils were taught music by Mrs Helliker (from BWH) once a fortnight. 

-Teachers used "Charanga", a scheme, to enhance music lessons.

-KS2 children had the opportunity to learn guitar, clarinet or flute.

-KS1 children have taken part in steel pan / African drum workshops with a professional musician.

-There were 38 children in the KS2 choir who performed at Young Voices 2023 and will perform again in 2024. They also performed at the school Christmas fair and nursing homes over the Christmas period. 

-Year 3 performed at St Mary's Christmas Tree Festival

-Manchester Camerata worked with Y3 to compose and write a song, which they performed at Cannock Theatre. 

Opportunities this year (2023-2024):

- Year 5 and 6 pupils are taught music by Mrs Helliker (from BWH) each Friday.

- Choir will perform at Young Voices in January.

- Year 4 performed at St Mary's Christmas tree festival in December.

- All pupils within the school have an hour music lesson a week, delivered by either the class teacher through Charanga or Mrs Helliker.

- Year 3 pupils have created a song for 'The Enormous Crocodile' with Manchester Camerata, which they will perform at the Prince of Wales Theatre in March.