New beginnings and challenges can often be daunting. When I first started out on my journey as a new music lead, I never realised how challenging yet fulfilling it would be. This journey wasn’t linear or planned out: I didn’t play an instrument, I had no music degree, and I certainly didn’t feel like an expert in the curricular area. So how did I get here?

The Start Of My Journey

I trained to teach as part of the school-centred initial teacher-training model (SCITT). With fond memories of my own experiences of music education in primary school, I attended our obligatory music-training day. The facilitator demonstrated a plethora of practical activities to use in the primary classroom: rhythm games, graphic notation and whole-class singing. On reflection, this would have been a fabulous introduction into music pedagogy if music had been the only subject I was hoping to master. However, like many other trainee teachers, my focus shifted towards the teaching of core subjects, and truthfully, I never had the opportunity to teach music during my PGCE year (although I did often take the opportunity to stop and glance through the classroom glass when I heard live music in action). Music was exciting and creative but also a bit of an anomaly – perhaps best delivered by those teachers who could play guitar surrounded by their class singing beautifully and in tune. Unfortunately, my mental model of a great music educator didn’t look very much like me.

A Light-Bulb Moment

Commencing my first teaching role just after Covid 19 in September 2020, the children in my class had quite significant gaps in their knowledge in all subjects. With my fellow teachers, we spoke a lot about accelerating the curriculum. However, I began to realise that children would demonstrate their own light-bulb moment when they were ready – not simply because I hoped that they would. In a similar sense, I too had my own light-bulb moment when it came to music. As a Year 4 teacher, I had tried everything to improve my class’s times-tables knowledge. You name it, I tried it: ‘hit the button’ games, rounds, chants, online quizzes and dice. Yet, it was songs that made the biggest difference to my class. A particular breakthrough was made by singing the nine times table along to the melody of Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You. After further successes in integrating songs as part of my classroom routines, I gained quite a reputation for being one of those teachers whose classroom was punctuated by songs. I somehow even acquired a keyboard, which was at one point gathering dust in the back of a cupboard.

Music Leadership Beckons

While on the final lap towards the end of my ECT (Early Career Teacher) year, much to my surprise, I was asked to lead music. Music? It wasn’t the subject I had envisioned leading – a feeling exacerbated by the fact that our music curriculum was designed to be delivered as PPA cover. Becoming a good music subject leader looked challenging to me, I really felt as though I was at the bottom of a very steep hill, perhaps even feeling like I had been given one of the shorter straws. Beginning my journey in September as a new music lead, I was plagued with conflicting thoughts. I knew that our provision in music fell short against other foundation subjects, such as history and geography. I questioned what I could contribute, given I was the youngest teacher. How could I guide my wonderful colleagues who had been teaching for much longer than I? Would anyone embrace change?

How Sparkyard Helped

During my first music subject-leader session, equipped with an aptly heavy ring-binder filled with policies and a somewhat antiquated curriculum-design, I opened a new page. Fortunately for me, this formative moment occurred on a Wednesday as our weekly hymn practice filled the school with our children’s voices. Instead of spending time scrutinising the current music-delivery model, I was instead reminded of the strengths of our children: what makes my school great. In a somewhat full-circle manner, returning to my first positive experiences of music in the classroom, it had been singing that had always been our strength. It was this personal mission statement – to guide my colleagues with their planning while capitalising on our children’s love for singing – which led to deciding upon Sparkyard to support our whole-school music curriculum. It also helped that Sparkyard satisfies a wealth of suggestions in the Model Music Curriculum, so our head teacher was quickly on board! This small decision marked the start of a wonderful journey in our school’s delivery of music. I would advocate for any new teacher to embrace music leadership as it presents an opportunity for you to make a meaningful change within both the culture and curriculum of your school. Sparkyard was transformative in supporting my school to make this positive change.

About The Author

Tom Scott is a Year 3 teacher at St Martin’s Catholic Primary School, Runcorn, with a passion for music and maths, and Ieads both subjects. He helps to run the school choir and is on a journey to relearn the piano. He has a particular interest in singing and how it can support memory and learning in the classroom.

If, like Tom, you are a new music lead, there are lots of guides in Sparkyard to help you feel confident in your new role. You might also like to check out the Sparkyard’s Collections page, as well as, of course, our flexible Music Curriculum, designed for specialists and non-specialists. 

And finally, look out for our regular Cup of Tea CPD sessions, where our workshop leaders can provide a detailed tour of our complete Music Curriculum from Reception to Year 6. The session will answer any questions you have and give you lots of ideas for implementing the curriculum in your setting.