Position:                Midday Supervisory Assistant (MDSA)

Time:                      Monday – Friday, 11.30am – 1.00pm (Term time only)

 

Salary:                   

Actual salary:       £4517.26 as role is for 43.89 weeks, including holidays (actually work 38 weeks), 7.5 hours

                                a week

Hourly rate:       

Start:                    , pending checks.

 

Closing Date:         Friday 2^nd January 2026

Interview Date:     Wednesday 7^th / Thursday 8^th / Friday 9^th January 2026 tbc.

 

Current Vacancies - One 

 

 

 

 

 

MUSIC

 

INTENT

To develop musical understanding in all pupils and promote a lifelong love of music.
To develop all children as young musicians with confidence in their singing and instrumental performance.
To develop knowledge of music from a wide variety different cultures and musical periods.
To present a diverse selection of music and musicians through which the children will discover their own musical preferences.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

This is achieved through the teaching of high quality music lessons that are centered on learning to perform using instruments and singing. Learning music also includes appraising and composing. These strands are made relevant to the children by being related to the musical performance (instrument or style) being taught during a lesson.

A spiral instrumental curriculum is implemented with children gradually increasing their depth of knowledge and instrumental skills as they return to instruments at an older age.  By year 6 children will be able to choose their own instruments to perform in mixed ensembles.  Children are encouraged to have their own instruments (ukulele and recorders) to extend their learning at home, and use throughout their time at school.   

 

Singing is an integral part of the music curriculum and included in each music lesson.  A Kodály based approach is used to build up singing and aural skills from a young age using simple folk based melodies.  Singing is expanded upon in a weekly hymn assembly for KS1 and KS2.  Singing and listenning is embedded in the classroom with repertoire shared by the Music Lead with teachers.

 

Composition is taught as an interlinked part of musical performance.  Children will be taught a model style of music performance, before using these skills to produce their own musical compositions or improvisations.

 

Notation is taught as a tool for musical performance and is secondary to musical outcomes. Sound is taught before symbol, so that when encountering notation children understand its purpose. Notation is only used when it is culturally appropriate for the music being learnt.

 

Sequencing Music is taught internally first (using voice and body) before using external sounds (instruments).  Learning is sequenced, where possible, to learn Rhythmic instruments before moving on to Melodic instruments.  We use a spiral curriculum with instrumental skills being re-visted throughout the curriculum, giving pupils the chance to build up in depth musical skills at particular instruments.

 

Appraising is used as an integral part of music lessons with listening repertoire chosen from a wide variety of sources including music of non-western cultures, classical music, pop and rock styles. Care is taken to show performers from BAME and a balance of genders.

When choosing material to teach, musical learning and skill development always takes precedence over a link current school topics. 

 

Technology is integrated into the music classroom and used whenever appropriate. Seesaw is used as a tool for setting and recording pupils work and extending learning to the home. Video and audio recordings allow pupils to reflect on their own work. Children use recording and technology such as Garageband to develop their music composition skills.

 

Assessment of skills and progression is focused on musical performances. Evidence is focused on video recordings of performances. 

 

Articulation of Learning: Children should be able to articulate their learning in music.  Children may demonstrate their learning through performance, verbally or via a musical outcome in order to do this.

 

Value of Music:  At Cottesmore we recognise that music can be excellent subject for developing other non-musical skills.  E.g. team work, confidence, language, pattern recognition, etc..  However, we believe that music is intrinsically a valued subject which should be taught in its own right and for its own sake.   

 

Delivery

Music teaching is currently delivered by a specialist music teacher in Yrs 2-6. Using a specialist for this subject takes music out of the classroom, so activities are shared with class teachers to enable music to be embedded and sustained during the week in the general classroom. Music is taught for approximately 1 hr per week. In addition to this singing takes place in the classroom at other times during week (particularly at key stage 1 & EYFS) and at weekly 15 min singing assemblies. In Yr 4 music is delivered by specialist from Create Music’s Soundmakers programme.

 

Musical performances and celebrations

Music is a central part of school life at Cottesmore. Performances take place at regularly at masses and music concerts. Children regularly perform at hymn assemblies, or other music assemblies during the year. The school takes part in the One Voice massed choir performance with Create Music and takes part in the Schools Parade at Brighton Fringe.
Musical performance is used continually as a tool to bring the school community together.

Co-curricular music:   

Small group and individual instrumental lessons are available to children at the school. Funding for these lessons is available from Create Music for children who qualify for benefit related FSM and other benefits. Instrumental lessons are promoted during classroom music lessons, where children will learn about the instruments they could learn at school, or at local music centers. Visiting instrumental music teachers put on demonstration assemblies to raise the profile of the instruments they teach.
Peripatetic teachers are provided by West Sussex Music and Rocksteady
Currently we offer lessons on piano, keyboard, guitar, drum kit, violin, and brass. Other alternative instrumental learning is signposted to local out of school music centers.

 

Ensembles
Choir: We run a weekly KS2 choir as a free before school club. The choir will lead singing at events and assemblies, and takes part in high profile performances in the community and with other schools.
School Orchestra: We run a weekly KS2 orchestra as a free before school club. The orchestra is open to all pupils.
Mass Choir: Mass choir is a initiation only choir for the school’s best singers. It takes the lead singing at school masses.

 

Live Music Experiences: 

Authentic live performances make music real for children learning music and inspire them to become musicians themselves, or foster a love of music.   Peripatetic teachers offer music demonstrations and assemblies to the school during the year.  The school music teacher is a professional performer and offers regular live music performances on the instruments he plays.   Children are encouraged to perform instruments they learn as part of music lessons, and can often feature in hymn assemblies.  

 

Music in the Community

We are active in the local music Hub, attending music network meetings, and building up links with other local music coordinators. We attend termly Music Hub advisory group meetings. Cottesmore takes part in local multi-school performances both with other Brighton schools and the Diocese.

 

Instrumental Resources 

The school has the following instrumental resources which are used throughout our instrumental learning. Where possible we are aiming to build up class sets of each instrument type so that children can learn any instrument together in class. We continue to develop our instrumental and music technology resources from school funds and also with support of the PTA and donations from parents
Resources and year acquired if known below

·        Recorders:  set of 60 + spares

·        Ukuleles:  set of 32

·        Xylophones:  Mixed set of 32 small glockenspiels as well as large tenor and bass Xylophones. 

·        Keyboards:  17 with keyboard stands and stools

·        Djembes:  set of 32, various sizes.  Various tuned and untuned percussion 

·        Boom whackers 

·        Digital Piano 

·        Upright Piano (library)

·        Grand Piano (Hall)

·        Samba Kit

·        Guitar Amps

·        PA System

·    School ipads are used regularly in music lessons for recording work, garage band and appraising tasks. 

  

Music Subject Development 

We have a Music Subject Development plan, which includes yearly action plans as well as long term subject development goals.

 

Teaching Space

We have a dedicated music room at school. This gives us a large open plan space for teaching music away from other classrooms and with resources ready to use. We also use the school hall, and outside areas on the field and Forest School area for louder musical activities. We have a large hall which is used for singing assemblies and performances.

 

Subject specific national guidance 

We have revised our music provision to be in line with the reflect the aims of the Model Music Curriculum and the National Plan for Music Education 2022. Our provision far exceeds the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for Music.

Our provision meets the expectations of the Model Music Curriculum, although we have adapted specifics to suit our own pupils and teaching staff.  

 

IMPACT

·        Confident performers, who have experienced learning a wide range of instruments but with time to have in depth musical learning. 

·        Able singers, who feel confident using their voice 

·        Knowledge and understanding of music from many cultures, instruments and performers. 

·    Creative musicians, who can develop their own musical ideas in improvisations and compositions.

 

 

Relevant documents:

National Curriculum for Music 

 

 

Model Music Curriculum

 

 

National Plan for Music Education 2022  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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