Music, especially singing, plays an important part in the life of our school. The National Curriculum is taught through the music scheme, Charanga. It is richly supplemented throughout the year and and across year groups.

St Philip Howard is part of the National Schools' Singing Programme and Yvette Murphy is our Musical Director. 

All children get the opportunity to learn a musical instrument in Year 4.

Curriculum Enrichment

Our School website's French/Music Class Page (https://www.sphoward.herts.sch.uk/frenchmusic/)

When COVID-19 made music making very difficult in School, we began our French/Music page to encourage singing, playing instruments & enjoying active music safely in our 'home bubbles.'

It has proved a very popular Class Page on our School website, so we continue to post the best songs, dances, activities and games to promote musicality & healthy exercise at home as well as in school.

Indeed, many of the tracks that feature on this page are recordings taken off the 3 School CDs that we have designed & recorded over the last 15 years. 

We are incredibly proud of our children's beautiful singing and playing and it is wonderful to be able to share many of our favourite action rhymes, musical poems, songs, dances & activities (some in different languages!) 

National Schools Singing Programme (NSSP)

Weekly sessions take place during the normal school day and are tailored to suit each class and year group. They include music for school liturgies blended with interactive music education games and secular repertoire. Classes support the national curriculum and enhance educational attainment and progression. 

The foundation of the Schools Singing Programme rests on a network of after-school choirs that support parish and cathedral liturgies. As well as enhancing the in-school experience of musical education, the programme engages the wider community with concerts and performances that all can enjoy.

Charanga Musical School Curriculum Overview

The Charanga Musical School Scheme provides teachers with week-by-week lesson support for each year group in the school. It provides lesson plans, assessment, clear progression, and engaging and exciting whiteboard resources to support every lesson. The Scheme supports all the requirements of the national curriculum.

In line with the curriculum for music and guidance from Ofsted, this Scheme moves away from the previous levels and learning objective/outcome concepts to an integrated, practical, exploratory and child-led approach to musical learning.

How the scheme is structured

Each Unit of Work focuses on the strands of musical learning which correspond with the national curriculum for music:

1. Listening and Appraising
2. Musical Activities
   1. Warm-up Games
   2. Optional Flexible Games
   3. Singing
   4. Playing instruments
   5. Improvisation
   6. Composition
3. Performing

Mastery in your Music Lessons

Charanga Musical School Units of Work enable children to understand musical concepts through a repetition-based approach to learning. Learning about the same musical concept through different musical activities enables a more secure, deeper learning and mastery of musical skills. The teacher, is able to plan and provide the opportunity to embed a deeper learning, knowledge, understanding and skills.