Illuminated by Christ, we radiate His love
Music Development Plan Summary 2025-26
School Name: English Martyrs Catholic Primary School
Last Updated: November 2025
Review Date: July 2026
Overview
At English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, we believe music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Our curriculum is designed to engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, increasing their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement.
1. Curriculum Music
All pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 receive a minimum of 45 minutes of music teaching per week from a Music Specialist. EYFS receive
Our 2025-26 curriculum focuses on:
2. Instrumental Tuition & Ensemble Play
We are committed to providing every child the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Our 2025-26 provision includes:
3. Performance & Liturgical Life
Performance is central to our school’s Catholic identity. This year’s highlights include:
4. Co-Curricular & Enrichment
5. Strategic Development Goals 2025-26
School Name: English Martyrs Catholic Primary School
Last Updated: November 2025
Review Date: July 2026
Overview
At English Martyrs Catholic Primary School, we believe music is a universal language that embodies one of the highest forms of creativity. Our curriculum is designed to engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, increasing their self-confidence, creativity, and sense of achievement.
1. Curriculum Music
All pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 receive a minimum of 45 minutes of music teaching per week from a Music Specialist. EYFS receive
Our 2025-26 curriculum focuses on:
- Vocal Excellence: Developing voice control, singing with expression, 2/3 part-singing and singing in rounds.
- Composition: Using tuned and untuned classroom percussion instruments to create original rhythmic phrases and soundscape compositions; create simple melodies, lyrics and accompaniment for Songwriting projects; and use symbols, colours, shapes to represent sounds for Graphic Notation Projects.
- Listening & Appreciating: Exposure to a diverse range of live and recorded music, from classical music to popular songs and modern classics.
2. Instrumental Tuition & Ensemble Play
We are committed to providing every child the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Our 2025-26 provision includes:
- Whole-Class Ensemble Teaching (WCET): Year 3 receives specialist instrumental tuition on the Descant Recorder for a full academic year.
- Peripatetic Partnership: Working with THAMES (Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service) to provide small group lessons in after school keyboard and orchestra clubs.
- Access for All: We actively use Pupil Premium funding to ensure after-school Music Clubs are available to all pupils in KS1 and KS2.
3. Performance & Liturgical Life
Performance is central to our school’s Catholic identity. This year’s highlights include:
- Weekly singing phase assemblies: Building a shared repertoire for school worship.
- Church Celebrations: Musical contributions to masses and seasonal services at English Martyrs Church.
- The School Choir: Rehearsing weekly to perform at school and community events, and borough-wide festivals.
- Regular performances: include assemblies and end of term events where pupils perform classroom compositions and songs for parents.
4. Co-Curricular & Enrichment
- Digital Music: Making and composing music through lessons in our computing scheme - Purple Mash
- Live Experiences: Facilitating visits from professional musicians to inspire our pupils.
5. Strategic Development Goals 2025-26
- Goal 1: Enhance the use of digital notation software within the Year 5 and 6 curriculum.
- Goal 2: Strengthen our "Music for Worship" repertoire to reflect a wider global Catholic tradition.