Music
Our Music Curriculum Intent:
‘Music is the strongest form of magic!’
‘Music can change the world!’
At Dobwalls Primary School, it is our intent that through our lessons and enrichment opportunities we make music an enjoyable learning experience giving children a firm understanding of what music is through listening, singing, playing, evaluating, analysing and composing. We endeavour to develop a curiosity for the subject as well as a knowledge of different genres of music and an appreciation of the importance of the subject in the wider community.
Please see our music development plan via the link.
Implementation:
- We use Charanga to support our music teaching at Dobwalls.
- Lessons offer a range of musical genres, with a wealth of opportunities to develop skills in performing, composing, listening and evaluating music.
- Children are taught to sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control.
- The musical elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, form, dynamics, tempo and timbre are embedded in classroom activities, ensuring skills are developed and built upon from previous year groups.
- Regular dedicated singing assemblies
- Planned enrichment activities across the school
- Annual Christmas Performances for all
- Annual Christmas Carol Service at the Church for all school children
- We visit our local Church once a term and enjoy singing together
- Parent linked activities e.g. The Trelawney Shout where Parents and children join together to sing the Cornish Anthem on St Piran's Day
- Singing Certificate Awarded - chosen by Y6 for Singing Super Stars!
- Songs used across the curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.
- Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND. This includes the use of headphones, different sized instruments.
- Composer of the month initiative ensures children listen to a wide range of music and learn about musicians.
- Musicians and musical genres have been organised so each year group listens to music. Over their time in Dobwalls, children experience a range of music including traditional music, classical and modern. See overview musicians and music
Music Knowledge Organisers:
There is one knowledge organiser per year group. Each year group is expected to revisit and revise the vocabulary from the previous year group to consolidate children's knowledge and understanding.
Dobwalls Music Knowledge Organisers Y1 - Y6
Children in Year 3 learning to play the glockenspiel as part of their music lessons.
Carnglaze Caverns - Juniors Christmas Performance
Performances
We take pride in providing every child with opportunities to perform throughout their primary school journey. These experiences begin in Key Stage 1 with our Christmas Nativity, continue with the Year 3 and 4 Spring Performance and finish in the Year 6 Leavers' Performance.
These productions give children the opportunity to sing, dance, learn lines and even choreograph their own movements. Through performing, pupils develop confidence, teamwork, creativity and resilience, while creating lasting memories and celebrating their achievements with family and friends.
Infant Nativity - December 2025
Spring Chicken - Easter 2026
Year 6 Summer Performance July 2026 - Cinderella Rockerfella
Enrichment:
Over the year, we plan a range of musical enrichment activities. Music is at the very heart of the majority of all school gatherings, performances and celebrations. We love to sing at Dobwalls! In addition to our regular singing assemblies, we hold special celebrations when the whole school and individual classes perform a variety of musical pieces, including Harvest Festival, Christmas carols, Easter assemblies and end of year farewells.
We are eager for our children to experience live music performed for them and each year invite a local band or choir to perform for us. Recent live music includes:
Millpool Chorale 2026 – beautiful singing right in our hall! We loved joining together to sing as well!
Polperro Wreckers 2025 - What an amazing afternoon with the Polperro Wreckers performing live for us! Their singing was beautiful and we loved singing Cornwall My Home with them. A brilliant reminder of how lucky we are to live in Cornwall - celebrating our heritage and sharing our love of singing.
Carnglaze Caverns Spring 2022, December 2023 and December 2025 We held the most magical concerts in the caverns. The children sounded absolutely beautiful!
Christmas Singing Club annually enjoy Carol singing around the village of Dobwalls and singing at Liskeard Hospital. They also sing at a local care home which is such a wonderful experience for the children.
Learning a Musical Instrument: a specialist ukulele teacher teachers our Year 4 children annually
Arts Council England Project: Year 6 children have undertaken workshops with and performed alongside the Florian Quartet.
Music Workshops: held locally with a range of musicians. Supported by local engagement work Sally Butlin.
Music and Movement Club - A super after school club enjoyed by many children of all ages. Children learnt songs and dances over the weeks which resulted in a performance to parents and carers.
Specialist Teacher Visits: Year 5 enjoyed a series of four lessons led by Cornwall's specialist music teacher Phil Montgomery-Smith. The children learnt to compose a piece of music developing a range of music skills and understanding of musical concepts. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all in Y5. Sally Butlin has worked with children in Year 2, 3, 5 and 6 to deliver musical workshops.
Music Lessons: children are able to pay and take part in guitar lessons at school. For further information please ask the office.
Rocksteady Band - Dobwalls making Rock Stars!
Rocksteady come to school each week for band lessons. Children are able to take the roles of guitar players, keyboard, drummers or vocals. Our band leaders supports and develops the children musical skills and builds towards a performance each term. Children from Reception through to Year 6 take part. Such an amazing opportunity!
Impact:
By the end of Key Stage 2 children at Dobwalls have an appreciation of different types of music and an understanding of their own personal musical strengths as well as areas they might like to improve upon. Their musical lessons will have enabled the children to develop their own personal skills in terms of self-confidence, interaction with others and self-reflection. They will have an understanding of key musical terminology such as volume, pitch, rhythm and beat and will be able to dissect music, understand its parts and have enjoyed listening, creating and performing pieces.