At Park Road Academy, our Genre of the Half Term gives children regular opportunities to discover, enjoy and talk about a wide range of music beyond their classroom music lessons.

Across a two-year cycle, pupils are introduced to a carefully chosen range of musical genres, styles and traditions. Each half term, the whole school explores a different genre through listening, assemblies and classroom opportunities, helping children to recognise the distinctive sounds, instruments, rhythms and features that make each style unique.

Within each genre, every year group is introduced to a different artist or musician, allowing pupils to encounter a diverse range of performers, composers and musical careers as they move through school. We deliberately celebrate musicians from different cultures, backgrounds, genders and abilities so that children develop an understanding of the rich and varied world of music.

Through our two-year cycle, we aim to build children’s musical vocabulary, listening skills, cultural awareness and curiosity, while introducing them to music they may not otherwise encounter. Most importantly, we want our pupils to develop the confidence to listen widely, share their opinions and discover music that they love.