Our
Music
curriculum
Weekly singing and music lessons help children develop skills in listening, composing and performing. From Year 3, they can learn instruments and take part in regular performances that enrich their musical journey.
Curriculum intent
The National Curriculum states that music should inspire a love of music and creativity in expression. At The Belham, our diverse school community celebrates music as a universal language that brings people together.
Children learn to listen critically, compose, perform for different audiences, and notate their ideas using both visual and conventional notation. Through exposure to a wide range of musical styles and traditions, they develop confidence, creativity and appreciation for music’s role in culture and community.
How we teach
Singing is central to music education at The Belham. Each week, all children take part in year-group singing lessons and whole-school celebrations. They also have weekly music classes where they become confident listeners, composers and performers, using a variety of tuned and untuned percussion instruments as well as their voices.
- Year 2: Children learn the descant recorder.
- Year 5: They play in small ensembles using recorders and percussion instruments.
- Year 6: They compose music and lyrics, arrange pieces using digital tools, and perform as part of a folk dance band.
From Year 3 onwards, children can learn a musical instrument with our peripatetic staff. Instruments are provided free of charge for the duration of their time at the school, and lessons take place in small groups during the school day. Fees may be subsidised to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn, regardless of financial circumstance.
Children who show enthusiasm, dedication and regular practice are encouraged to perform in concerts and assemblies.
Impact
Children leave The Belham with an appreciation for music as a creative and collaborative art form. They can listen critically, perform with confidence and compose with imagination. Music fosters self-expression, discipline and joy—skills that support learning across all areas of life.
How you can help at home
- Encourage your child to practise regularly if they are learning an instrument at school, including the recorder in Year 2 and Year
- Attend concerts and performances together to nurture their enthusiasm for live music. You might explore family events at the Southbank Centre.
- Listen to a wide variety of music at home to expand their awareness of styles, genres and cultures.
- Visit the Southwark Music Hub to find opportunities that can further enrich your child’s musical life.
Right to withdraw from sex education
Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the sex education elements of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).
At The Belham Primary School, sex education is delivered as part of our RSE programme in line with statutory guidance. Parents do not have the right to withdraw their child from Relationships Education or from the statutory science curriculum, including content on puberty and reproduction.
Any request to withdraw a child from sex education should be made in writing to the Headteacher. The school will work in partnership with parents to discuss the request and ensure that pupils continue to receive appropriate, age-appropriate education.
