Navigating the music curriculum

Richard Bushby, Head of Curriculum & Teaching Standards at Rocksteady Music School, discusses how specialists can help generalists to teach music with confidence.

I’ve spent years working with primary schools across the UK, witnessing first-hand how powerful music can be in a child’s development. Yet I also know how daunting it can be for non-specialist teachers (and even for some specialists!) to navigate the curriculum confidently.

When non-specialists are supported effectively in delivering music education, the difference in both the teacher and their pupils is truly remarkable. That’s what I want to explore in this article: how specialists can help non-specialists find their footing, develop confidence and deliver lessons that ignite children’s love for music.

Delivering the KS1 and KS2 National Curriculum brings its own set of unique opportunities and challenges for anybody teaching music in the classroom. For specialist music teachers, the National Curriculum provides a flexible framework that allows for progressive music lessons, encouraging exploration and musical advancement. It offers the opportunity to be creative and tailor lessons, whilst being confident they’re meeting national standards. For non-specialists, it is, at least at face value, accessible and inclusive, meaning teachers with little or no musical experience can deliver music lessons that cover the essentials. Using voices expressively? Listening with attention to detail? That should be relatively straightforward, right? Of course, we know it isn’t.

For generalist primary teachers with minimal training in the subject, there are numerous and all too familiar challenges. Busy timetables can mean music gets squeezed out, and finding time and budget for proper music teacher training isn’t easy. On top of that, there are so many digital tools and schemes out there that it’s hard to know which ones are most suitable for their needs or where to even start.

Teachers, generalist or otherwise, don’t want to teach the ‘bare minimum’ when it comes to music, or any other subject for that matter. They want to deliver enriching music lessons that keep pupils engaged, all within clear and structured progression routes, designed to inspire each pupil to achieve their full potential. So what can we do to support non-specialists to achieve this?

From my perspective, one of the most powerful ways we, as specialists, can support non-specialists is through honest, tailored guidance. It’s not about overwhelming our peers with theory, but helping them see how accessible and fun teaching music can be when approached with the right tools and mindset. After all, in over two thirds of the primary schools visited by Ofsted during their Striking the Right Note: The Music Subject Report, the curriculum was being delivered mainly by non-specialist teachers.

So, how can specialists provide expertise and support non-music specialists? How can we share our ability to deliver inspirational and engaging music lessons so more children are inspired to develop a long-term love for the subject?

Demystify digital tools

Most schools have access to digital schemes and resources, but knowing how to use them effectively is key. I always suggest guiding teachers through these tools step-by-step - perhaps by co-teaching a lesson that incorporates one - and then encouraging them to try it themselves. It’s about building confidence, not just knowledge; once a non-specialist has worked out a couple of lesson plans using these tools, they will find themselves more comfortable fitting them into lesson planning.

Involve your local hub

Specialists are expertly placed to support non-specialists to leverage the wide range of resources, services, training and development programmes, networking and mentoring, and other support opportunities offered by their local music hub. These can then be tailored to the needs of the school and take on board factors such as available provision and budget. Encouraging collaboration with local music hubs can really help to elevate provision and bring a buzz and excitement about music into school. And, of course, increased interest or engagement with music in schools is great for hubs, so it’s mutually beneficial.

Encourage a whole-school approach

In my experience, the best way to embed music more deeply into school life is through collaboration. Specialists should lead and encourage peer to peer sharing of tips and challenges to bring the whole school on a journey that builds confidence to teach music. It’s about creating a culture where everyone feels they can contribute.

I’ve seen schools where the leadership team champions music, making it a visible part of development plans. That buy-in from leadership makes all the difference. As specialists, we need to advocate for this culture in schools - they need to see that music belongs to everyone.

Host hands-on workshops

For non-specialists, another challenge is they may not have had sufficient training to teach music beyond the basics. Music remains an unfamiliar concept with unfamiliar terminology. By breaking it down into fun, easy-to-teach activities, we can prove to non-specialists that teaching engaging, informative and fun music lessons is most definitely achievable.

An example of this is when a colleague and I visited a group of non-specialist teachers in Cornwall to deliver a training day. We started off by running an interactive Rocksteady band lesson, teaching them a basic, simplified version of Shotgun by George Ezra (a Rocksteady firm favourite!).

By stripping the song back, starting with the chords and breaking them down to the root notes - and then focusing on timing by playing the first note of the bar - we had unlocked a pop song as if by magic! Those teachers left with an understanding of the fundamentals of music that they could then relay back in the classroom. Even better, it was a modern, relevant pop song that their pupils would engage with!

I am a huge advocate for using relevant materials to teach music that children will recognise and likely be more inclined to engage with. Of course, a wide range of musical genres, time periods and instruments should enrich the curriculum, but from personal experience, children will relate most to songs and pieces that are familiar and relevant to them and their life experience.

Provide practical assessment tools

Referring again to the Striking the Right Note report, it tells us that “leaders told us that they were unsure how to assess pupils in music”. For non-specialist teachers, assessing progression can, understandably, feel like venturing into uncharted territory when they don’t have a fundamental knowledge of music or the skills they are supposed to be assessing themselves. This is precisely where specialists can provide valuable insights and advice. Specialists should support non-specialists by showing what musical progress actually looks like in the classroom. By modelling how to listen in, spot pupils’ strengths, and work out those next steps together, assessing their pupils’ progress becomes far more manageable.

This isn’t just about sharing expertise in core skills, but also equipping non-specialist teachers with practical tools to remove the guesswork from assessment and build their confidence. Helping non-specialists to break down the key bullet points of the curriculum into observable skills makes the process of assessing progress far more manageable.

However music is assessed in primary schools, it’s important to remember that progress can look and feel different for every child. As specialists, we should reassure non-specialists that it’s okay to focus on children’s personal growth and positive holistic outcomes over the pursuit of perfection.

As a former music teacher, and in my current role as Head of Curriculum and Teaching Standards at Rocksteady, I understand the challenges of delivering genuinely inclusive and engaging whole-class music lessons that encourage progression and foster creativity. But when it’s done successfully the rewards are immense.

To see the impact on a child or young person when a musical concept clicks - when they suddenly realise this isn’t a scary subject to be feared - is incredibly powerful. Or when a pupil who once insisted they don’t do music tells you they’ve asked for a guitar or keyboard because they want to play more at home. Music is now their thing! It’s moments like these, which as educators we have all experienced, that highlight why it’s so important children receive considered, progressive music lessons to keep them engaged.

This is only possible when everyone teaching music feels confident and equipped to navigate the curriculum and bring it to life. This comes from honest reflection, understanding available support, and knowing when to seek help. That’s why a proactive, collaborative relationship between specialists and non-specialists is so important.

We all want as many children as possible to love learning music, because we know the benefits can be life-changing. Music as a subject can be a powerful leveller for children who struggle in other areas of school. It has a unique place in the curriculum to amplify children’s selfbelief and instil a sense of belonging. That’s why specialists and nonspecialists have a role to play, ensuring music is taught in a way that encourages progress, ignites passion and inspires children to want to keep learning for as long as possible – no matter who teaches it.