Our Vision for Music and Dance

“It is music and dancing that make me at peace with the world.”

                                                                                                 Nelson Mandela

“We can all dance,” he said, “if we find the music that we love.”

                                                                                                                  From Giraffes Can’t Dance

At Lee Common CE School we provide all students with a high-quality music and dance education which engages and inspires them to develop a life-long love of music, increases their self-confidence, creativity, and imagination, and provides opportunities for self-expression and a sense of personal achievement. We recognise that music and dance are unique ways of communicating that can inspire and motivate pupils. They are a vehicle for individual expression and can play an important role in the personal development of all pupils. We offer opportunities for students to develop and display their talents in singing, dancing and performing.

Pupils are fully engaged and excited by their music and dance lessons and are actively involved in responding to, creating and developing musical ideas using voice, body and instruments. Music and dance lessons develop skills and offer an opportunity to show and develop our school values. Staff are sensitive to any barriers which can prevent participation and adapt the curriculum to ensure inclusion of all. This is achieved through setting tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of inclusive responses and success measures.

All children in the school have specialist instrumental teaching every year, offering an opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence and to develop self-discipline. Children have opportunities to apply their specialist training in a variety of regular performances, both to their peers and wider audiences. A variety of singing performance opportunities, both within and beyond the school, nurture a sense of group identity and togetherness, as children use a range of voices to harmonise effectively. Talented dancers and musicians are encouraged to pursue their discipline further and we celebrate the individual successes of our pupils in our newsletter.

Creating, performing, listening to and responding to music can be a spiritual experience for many and as a Church school we positively encourage this element. We encourage children to reflect on the important effect that music can have on their emotions and senses, including in assemblies. Pupils are given the opportunity to experience music and dance from different cultures which encourages positive attitudes towards others. Music and dance reflect the culture and society that we live in, and so the teaching and learning of music enables children to learn more about the world we live in. Children can express their opinions and respond emotionally to a wide variety of musical pieces, including significant pieces from their own and other cultures, thus developing aesthetic sensitivity and fulfilment. 

Our Music and Dance Curriculum Progression