KS2 Music Curriculum (England)
The whole key stage 2 music programme of study from the national curriculum in England, with statutory and non-statutory parts clearly marked. Tick statements to plan a lesson.
- Years
- Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
- Ages
- 7–11
- Statutory statements
- 6
- Source
- National curriculum in England: music
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
Current. The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review (Nov 2025) says a revised national curriculum will be published by spring 2027 for first teaching from September 2028.
Teaching one year group? Open its TIP: Year 3 Music · Year 4 Music · Year 5 Music · Year 6 Music.
Key stage 2 6 statutory statements
Introduction to Key stage 2 (official text)
Pupils should be taught to sing and play musically with increasing confidence and control. They should develop an understanding of musical composition, organising and manipulating ideas within musical structures and reproducing sounds from aural memory.
Pupils should be taught to:
Key stage 2 Statutory
Pupils should be taught to:
- play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
- improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music
- listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
- use and understand staff and other musical notations
- appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
- develop an understanding of the history of music
Official documents
- National curriculum in England: music programmes of study (GOV.UK)
- The national curriculum framework for key stages 1 to 4 (GOV.UK)
More
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: music programmes of study (GOV.UK), © Crown copyright.
Statements in the curriculum lists are copied word for word from GOV.UK; everything else on this page (headings, notes, summaries) is written by us. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education or the Standards and Testing Agency. Always check the official documents linked on this page.
Questions teachers ask
What is in the KS2 music curriculum?
6 statutory statements in 1 section. Schools must teach the statutory content by the end of the key stage.