At Early Years, the key knowledge progression document takes reference from the following documentation: Early Years Framework, Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters.

At key stage 1 and 2, the key knowledge progression document takes full account of the national curriculum’s requirements and groups these into the following strands:

• Singing and performing

• Playing an instrument and performing

• Listening and Appreciating

• Composing

• History of music

These strands have been selected to reflect the key knowledge and skills in the national curriculum subject content.

Skills are dependent on specific knowledge. A skill is the capacity to perform and in order to perform a deep body of knowledge needs to be acquired and retained. These knowledge statements should be what pupils retain for ever. In other words, this knowledge is within their long-term memory and will be retained.

When considering pupils’ improvement in subject specific vocabulary, pupils could be provided with a knowledge organiser which contains the relevant words used for music for their age group.