Music at The Discovery School

Our Vision for Music

At The Discovery School we want all pupils in music to:

  • be inquisitive and have an opportunity to explore and try new things
  • be creative
  • build on their prior learning and knowledge
  • enjoy learning new skills for life
  • feel included and feel like they are part of something
  • understand about themselves and their place in the world
  • get along with and collaborate with others
  • be brave, ambitious and resilient
  • “be the best that they can be”


These statements underpin the intention of our music curriculum.

By providing a high quality music curriculum we aim to provide our children with the opportunities to;

  • Develop the skills required to listen to and appreciate all forms of music.
  • Develop the skills required to become vocalists or musicians who are soloists.
  • Develop the skills required to play in bands and ensembles.
  • Develop the skills required to create music as writers and composers.
  • Develop tranferrable skills to aid them in their future careers.
  • Widen their experience of other cultures.
  • Experience opportunities unavailable elsewhere.
  • Develop a lifelong love of music.

We ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to listen, play, perform and compose through regular music learning and opportunities. Our emphasis on a broad and balanced curriculum ensures that music is valued as a subject.  Music begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Children develop their communication and language skills, physical development and explore the expressive arts through exposure to sounds, rhymes and songs.  Music learning at KS1 and KS2 continues to be practical; our children are taught to understand and appreciate music through listening, singing, playing, performing and composing. Through regular, active and practical engagement in music learning, our children develop musical understanding and fluency.

Music Development Plan

This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all pupils across three areas – curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences.  It also includes the aspirational changes and developments that we are planning for future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our children’s music education. 

The Discovery School Music Development Plan

Learning an Instrument

Our music offer at The Discovery School enables all pupils to experience learning an instrument.  As part of our curriculum, whole class instrument teaching begins in Year 3 with the recorder:

  • Recorder lessons are delivered by the class teacher and/or teaching assistant and follow an online recorder tuition programme.
  • Each class receives two terms of lessons, culminating in a performance to parents to celebrate their progress.
  • Children are able to borrow a school recorder to take home for practise.
  • All children are provided with a login to access ‘Charanga Music World’ where they can follow a fun practise programme to develop their skills.

In Year 4, children have the opportunity to learn the Ukulele:

  • Ukulele lessons are delivered by a specialist Music Teacher and are part funded by the Music Plus Scheme.
  • Each class receives a 30-minute lesson per week across the academic year.
  • The lessons develop children’s musicianship skills as well as their confidence in playing and performing together.
  • Children are able to borrow a school ukulele for their lessons but can purchase their own instrument if they choose.
  • The year’s programme will culminate in an end of year performance to parents to celebrate progress.

In Year 5, children are taught to play the djembe drum and percussion as part of their curriculum:

  • Djembe lessons are delivered by the class teacher and/or teaching assistant and follow an online djembe tuition programme.
  • Each class receives two terms of lessons, culminating in a performance to parents to celebrate their progress.
  • The lessons develop children’s musicianship skills as well as their confidence in playing and performing together.
  • Children will be able to use an instrument from school for lessons but can purchase their own if they wish.
  • All children will be given a login to access ‘Charanga Music World’ where they can follow a fun practise programme to develop their skills.

In Year 6, children continue to develop their musicianship skills, building on their prior learning and experiences throughout KS2. Many choose to learn an instrument with one of our peripatetic music tutors and carry this on into their secondary school years.  This reflects the intent of our music curriculum at The Discovery School.

Co-curricular Music Offer

All children from year 1 to 6 have the opportunity to learn a range of instruments as part of the school’s co-curricular offer.  Lessons are delivered by independent peripatetic tutors and take place during the school day.  The tutors liaise with class teachers and rotate lesson times each term to avoid children missing the same subjects.  Children can choose to learn the piano, violin, electric guitar, clarinet, flute, cornet, trumpet, saxophone, classical guitar or continue with the ukulele. Children can also learn to play as part of a band selecting either drums, keyboard, lead guitar, bass guitar or vocals.

For more information about how your child can learn these instruments, you can contact our peripatetic music tutors or independent music providers directly:

  • Piano lessons - Mr Mark Copping, mark.copping78@gmail.com
  • Violin lessons - Miss Kate Coles, katecoles@gmail.com
  • Electric guitar - 'Edge Guitar School', Mr Matthew Mallery, matthewmallery@yahoo.com
  • Classical guitar/ ukulele - Miss Caroline Beevis, caroline@cbmusicteaching.me.uk
  • Wind and brass instruments - 'Music For Schools Foundation', https://www.mfsf.org.uk/
  • Rock band instruments/ vocals - 'iRock', https://irockschool.com/
  • Drum tuition, https://drumwise.co.uk/
The Discovery School Choirs

The Discovery School has two well-established choirs where enthusiatic children enjoy singing and performing together. Our Key Stage One Choir meet every Monday and is led by Mrs Hook.  Children develop their musical skills through learning songs, rhymes and chants and work towards performances in the annual Christmas and Summer Music Concerts.

Children from Year 3 to Year 6 can join the Key Stage Two Choir.  Led by Dr. Wilce-Cordner, they meet every Wednesday after school and and enjoy singing a broad range of pop and rock songs. Children perform confidently and enthusiastically, regularly singing songs involving two and three part harmonies.  Past performances have included a live broadcast on BBC Radio Kent for Children in Need, an audio recording for the Wealden Talking Newspapers for the visually impaired, as well as annual appearances at the West Malling Christmas Festival.  The Choir have lots of performances to look forward to this year, including local community events and the Young Voices Concert at the O2 London Arena in January.

Click here to listen to our recorded performance for the Wealden Talking Newspapers Christmas Special:


Talking Newspapers Choir recording - Away in a Manger

Choir performance at the West Malling Christmas Festival
Young Voices 2025!

Our Key Stage Two Choir travelled to the London O2 Arena on 21st January to participate in the Young Voices Concert.  We joined with thousands of other children to form a huge 'wall of sound' and sang a fantastic selection of specially written songs and medleys!  Some of the most memorable moments from the concert were doing the ‘robot dance’ to the song ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’ and singing ‘Readers are Leaders’ with MC Grammar.  It was so exciting for the children to perform in an event of this scale and the experience will stay in their memories for a lifetime.  One member of the choir declared that it was 'the best day of her life'.  For another choir member, this was his third time at the Young Voices event but said that he ‘loved it more than ever!’  The parents and families who were able to come and watch the concert also had a fantastic time.  One parent mentioned that The Discovery School apple logo on our specially designed banner was the perfect marker to find the children in the arena. Well done to all the children who represented our school brilliantly and sang confidently – we are very proud! 

Here are some pictures of the choir at O2 Arena this year:

 

The Discovery School Staff Band - No Direction!

At The Discovery School, we believe it is important to model the passion and enthusiasm for music that we want to instill in our children.  Participating in music events creates a sense of togetherness and enjoyment which supports the wellbeing of children and adults alike. That's why our staff band enjoy performing for our children!  Here is the epic performance from our staff band 'No Direction' at our Christmas music assembly!

No Direction! Merry Christmas Discovery!