Music
Welcome to Music at Upminster Junior School
At Upminster Junior School, we learn and grow together. Our music curriculum reflects this vision by taking children on a journey of discovery and adventure that ignites a passion for learning, challenges thinking, and excites the imagination. Music is a vibrant and integral part of our provision, taught as a discrete subject to allow full immersion in its discipline. Through high-quality teaching and inclusive opportunities, every child—regardless of background or ability—is invited to explore, create, and connect through music. Cross-curricular links further enrich this experience, with musical notation supporting mathematical reasoning and song lyrics deepening PSHE themes.
Knowledge
Our spiral curriculum ensures that children revisit and deepen their understanding of the interrelated dimensions of music: pulse, rhythm, pitch, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, and structure. These are explored through composition, performance, listening, and appraisal, with a strong emphasis on accurate musical vocabulary and notation. Instrumental learning is carefully sequenced: pupils begin with the recorder in Years 3 and 4, progress to the ukulele in Years 5 and 6, and build glockenspiel skills throughout. Vocal development is prioritised across all year groups, with teachers modelling alongside pupils to foster confidence and collaborative growth.
Skills
By the time they leave Upminster Junior School, children are equipped with the foundational skills to play the glockenspiel, recorder, and ukulele confidently—preparing them for further musical exploration in secondary school and beyond. Our curriculum nurtures not only musical ability but also physical, mental, spiritual, cultural, and intellectual development. Through continuous assessment and pupil voice, we ensure our provision remains engaging and relevant. Whether performing in assemblies, composing in class, or playing the piano during OPAL lunchtimes, our children grow as expressive, reflective, and joyful musicians—ready to change the world, one note at a time.
Experiences in Lessons and Beyond
Children at Upminster Junior School enjoy a rich variety of musical experiences both in and beyond the classroom. Each unit culminates in a performance—whether of a known piece or an original composition—giving pupils a sense of audience and celebration. All year 5 and 6 children are given the opportunity to perform in the prestigious O2 Arena as part of the Young Voices Choir. Beyond lessons, music flourishes through extra-curricular opportunities such as the school choir, which performs at a variety of venues, enriching the community and at our own Colour Concert in the school quad. Pupils also participate in the Hornchurch Academy Trust Big Sing. Furthermore, many pupils take up peripatetic lessons through Havering Music School, supported by their families.
