Music mixed-age

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Mixed-age

How it works

We make teaching music simple with engaging lessons based on popular themes, from animals and festivals to space and superheroes, all supported by teacher videos.

The mixed-age units follow a Cycle A and Cycle B format, supporting the progression of skills for children across the age range.

Useful resources to teach Music

Equipment list - Music

Year 1/2

Cycle A

Cycle B

*NEW* Keeping the pulse (Theme: My favourite things)

In this new unit, children explore keeping the pulse together through music and movement, by exploring their favourite…

Tempo (Theme: Snail and mouse)

In this updated unit, children use bodies and instruments to listen and respond to pieces of music with…

*NEW* Pitch (Theme: Superheroes)

This new unit helps the children learn how to identify high and low notes and to compose a…

*NEW* Instruments (Theme: Musical storytelling)

This new unit helps the children learn how events, actions and feelings within stories can be represented by…

*NEW* Singing (Theme: On this island)

In this new unit, the children learn folk songs and create sounds to represent three contrasting landscapes: seaside,…

*NEW* Pitch (Theme: Musical me)

In this new unit, children are exploring the song ‘Once a Man Fell in a Well’, playing it…

*NEW* Keeping the pulse (Theme: My favourite things)

In this new unit, children explore keeping the pulse together through music and movement, by exploring their favourite…

Tempo (Theme: Snail and mouse)

In this updated unit, children use bodies and instruments to listen and respond to pieces of music with…

*NEW* Pitch (Theme: Superheroes)

This new unit helps the children learn how to identify high and low notes and to compose a…

*NEW* Instruments (Theme: Musical storytelling)

This new unit helps the children learn how events, actions and feelings within stories can be represented by…

*NEW* Singing (Theme: On this island)

In this new unit, the children learn folk songs and create sounds to represent three contrasting landscapes: seaside,…

*NEW* Pitch (Theme: Musical me)

In this new unit, children are exploring the song ‘Once a Man Fell in a Well’, playing it…

Year 3/4

Cycle A

Cycle B

Unit 1: South Africa (Instrumental lessons)

Whole-class instrumental lessons on tuned percussion. This South Africa-themed unit develops pupils’ rhythmic, singing and notation skills.

Developing singing technique (Theme: the Vikings)

The children develop their singing technique. Learning to keep in time and work on musical notation and rhythm,…

Unit 2: Caribbean (Instrumental lessons)

Learning about the history and features of Calypso music, performing a calypso style song with voices and tuned…

Body and tuned percussion (Theme: Rainforests)

A topic of discovery; children will explore the rainforest through music and be introduced to new musical terms.…

Learning about ragtime style music, traditional jazz and scat singing. Children create a jazz motif using a swung…

Adapting and transposing motifs (Theme: Romans)

Drawing upon their understanding of repeating patterns in music, pupils are introduced to the concept of motifs.

Unit 1: South Africa (Instrumental lessons)

Whole-class instrumental lessons on tuned percussion. This South Africa-themed unit develops pupils’ rhythmic, singing and notation skills.

Developing singing technique (Theme: the Vikings)

The children develop their singing technique. Learning to keep in time and work on musical notation and rhythm,…

Unit 2: Caribbean (Instrumental lessons)

Learning about the history and features of Calypso music, performing a calypso style song with voices and tuned…

Body and tuned percussion (Theme: Rainforests)

A topic of discovery; children will explore the rainforest through music and be introduced to new musical terms.…

Learning about ragtime style music, traditional jazz and scat singing. Children create a jazz motif using a swung…

Adapting and transposing motifs (Theme: Romans)

Drawing upon their understanding of repeating patterns in music, pupils are introduced to the concept of motifs.

Year 5/6

Cycle A

Cycle B

Exploring and identifying the characteristics of film music. Creating a composition and graphic score to perform alongside a…

Composition notation (Theme: Ancient Egypt)

Based on the theme of Ancient Egypt, children learn to identify the pitch and rhythm of written notes…

Musical theatre

Children learn how singing, acting, and dancing combine to create an overall performance.

Theme and variations (Theme: Pop Art)

Children explore the musical concept of theme and variations and discover how rhythms can ‘translate’ onto different instruments.

Songs of World War 2

Developing greater accuracy in pitch and control; identifying pitches within an octave when singing and using knowledge of…

Composing and performing a Leavers’ song

Children spend the topic creating their very own leavers’ song personal to their experiences as a class.

Exploring and identifying the characteristics of film music. Creating a composition and graphic score to perform alongside a…

Composition notation (Theme: Ancient Egypt)

Based on the theme of Ancient Egypt, children learn to identify the pitch and rhythm of written notes…

Musical theatre

Children learn how singing, acting, and dancing combine to create an overall performance.

Theme and variations (Theme: Pop Art)

Children explore the musical concept of theme and variations and discover how rhythms can ‘translate’ onto different instruments.

Songs of World War 2

Developing greater accuracy in pitch and control; identifying pitches within an octave when singing and using knowledge of…

Composing and performing a Leavers’ song

Children spend the topic creating their very own leavers’ song personal to their experiences as a class.

Teacher skills videos

Getting started with Kapow Primary Music

Subject leader video: How is Kapow Primary's Music curriculum designed?

Pitches (all key stages)

Dynamics (all key stages)

Music teacher skills KS1 dynamics

Music teacher skills KS1 pitch

Music teacher skills KS1 tempo

Teacher skills video: Beat and rhythm

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