Our Vision:

Music is fundamental to being a human being. It incorporates expression and creativity whilst developing key life skills such as teamwork and cooperation, and across West Norfolk Academies Trust, the subject is one that is valued and embraced for student development, both academically, culturally and socially (The ‘Whole Child’).

Music is commonly described as “The universal language” and this is because it is central to almost all cultures and religions throughout the world. Music is all around us, not just on the radio, in the concert halls and at festivals, but also in all television and films, adverts and even as background music within shops and restaurants. It is literally everywhere!

However, music in education is about so much more than Rock, Pop, Classical RAP etc. Music is about sounds and how they are put together.

Music is one of the most vibrant departments in our schools. It is very rare not to hear music being rehearsed and performed before and after school as well at break and lunch throughout the department area. In classroom lessons, it is about exploring all the types of music, learning to appreciate how they are created and performed, as well as experimenting through practical exercises both on instruments and using technology.

In line with the National Curriculum, all our units of work fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Performing
• Composing
• Listening and Appraising

Singing and listening exercises are an integral part of lessons, developing both musical and confidence skills.

Away from the classroom, West Norfolk Academies Trust provides an instrumental and singing programme that is second to none with a range of lessons, schemes and subsidies available to our students to start their journey as musicians. We then promote a culture of group playing with a range of instrumental and vocal ensembles within each school, across the trust and in the wider community. This gives clear progression routes for all our students to explore and improve their musicianship skills, whether they wish to follow music as a career, or simply want to enjoy it as a hobby.

Music is a unique subject in that it is scientifically proven to assist in so many areas, including: improved wellbeing, language abilities, emotional resilience and empathy. It involves working both independently and collaboratively in groups and this helps develop important life-skills that are transferred into all future careers and pathways. These develop a growing mind-set as well as social skills and self-esteem.

The documents below summarise how our schools within the trust deliver music to our pupils across three key areas:

• Curriculum music
• Co-curricular provision
• Musical experiences

Detailing what changes we are planning in future years, our vision for our students’ musical education, giving an understanding to pupils, parents and carers of what our schools offer and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education.

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Music Lessons
As a trust, we offer music lessons for a number of instruments and vocal training, including orchestral instruments, drums, guitar, bass, ukulele and piano.

West Norfolk Academies Trust has subsidised the cost of students choosing to study a musical instrument. Below is a booklet which contains an application form and all information about the lessons including the costing.

Instrumental Tuition Information for Parents 

Musical Instrumental Teaching Initiative (MITI)
As part of our ongoing commitment to make music available to all, it is our aim to provide instrumental tuition to all students requesting lessons within our local area. To Achieve this, the trust has set up the MITI Scheme. Full details of what this entails can be found here.