Music at SMFR

The intention of the Music Curriculum at SMFR is to inspire childrens’ love of music. Music is a powerful and unique form of communication that can change and impact the way children feel, think and act. We encourage children to participate in a variety of musical experiences through which we aim to build up the confidence of all children. Our teaching focusses on developing the children’s ability to sing and play musical instruments in tune and to form opinions on the Music they listen to. Through our scheme (Charanga Musical School), pupils have the opportunity to perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. In KS1, the children enjoy singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes. They have the opportunity to play both tuned and percussion instruments which they use to create, select and combine sounds. They also listen and move to a wide range of music. In KS2, the children build on the skills acquired in KS1 so that, by the end of year 6, they sing and play, including electronic composition, with increasing control and self-confidence. They deepen their understanding of music in the world and the significance of music through history. Children are encouraged to explore their own musical preferences and discuss these with confidence.

Aims: The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all pupils:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the interrelated dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations

Create Day - The Rights of the Child - 2025

In Summer Term 2, Year 5 participated in Create Day. This was a joint event run by The Royal Opera House and The Royal Ballet. It culminated in a performance interpreting the United Nations Rights of the Child.

Our Children prepared for this over a 6 week period with a mixture of Dance, Music and D and T lessons. On 8th July 2025, we joined with other schools, via Zoom, in a day of workshops in a final performance of our Song of Hope.

School Choirs at SMFR

Christmas choir events

Our Christmas choir and our Echoes choir were busy this year, singing at Cliveden to entertain visitors and our supportive parents and also at Tescos in Taplow. We sanga range of Christmas favourites to brighten everyone's day! We also sang outside SMFR on the last week of Christmas term to entertain our families.

Royal Albert hall

In April some of our older choir members had an amazing day, rehearsing then singing up in London at the Royal Albert hall! We practised our songs and actions during the Spring term and shared the final event with our parents, 1400 children and thousands of members of the public! The photo at the bottom of our page is our view from the stage! A once in a lifetime opportunity!

Irock at SMFR

At St Mary's we have the chance to have lessons with the Irock team. Some of our children, from reception up to Year 6, have weekly lessons on Guitar, Keyboard, Drums or Voice. Each term we share our achievements with our families and the rest of the school community.

Trying different Instruments at SMFR

Buckinghamshire Music Trust

The Bucks Music Trust (BMT) work with school across the county providing a range of different provisions for pupils of all ages. One such provision is that they provide tuition and lessons for pupils interested in learning an instrument, covering all orchestra instruments, guitar, piano, drums and voice.  This service is not free, however they have sent through their pricing and subsidies for instrumental lessons in the Autumn Term 2024. They will now pay 50% of lesson costs for those in receipt of free school meals and a subsidy for each sibling also learning an instrument.

You can find out more information on their website by clicking here:  https://www.bucksmusic.org/book-lessons-2/

If you would like to apply, please use the forms below but please do not hesitate to ask Bucks Music Trust if more information is needed.

Any tuition needs to be booked via these forms, directly with them at hwmusic@bucksmusic.org

We look forward to celebrating more of the musical skills and achievements of our pupils at SMFR.

See how we FLOURISH in Music by following the link below

• Music