Teaching music as a specialist in a primary school is a unique and rewarding role. You are often the main advocate for music, the only subject expert, and the person responsible for shaping pupils’ earliest musical experiences. But with that responsibility comes an important question: how do you continue to develop your own practice once you’re established as a specialist?
For many primary music specialists, professional development can feel either too generic or too basic, usually being designed for class teachers without a music subject specialism. Taking your teaching to the next level requires something more intentional: time to reflect deeply on your practice, engage with research-informed pedagogy, and articulate what your musical specialism really is.
Discovering the why behind the what
Experienced specialists often have strong instincts about effective music teaching. However, the next stage of professional growth involves stepping back and interrogating those instincts. Understanding key models of musical development, for example, helps you plan learning that is genuinely progressive rather than simply activity-led. It enables you to make confident decisions about sequencing, challenge, and assessment, grounded in how children actually learn musically.
Similarly, engaging critically with different pedagogies and methodologies allows you to refine your approach. Rather than adopting strategies wholesale, you can evaluate what aligns with your values, your pupils, and your school context. This depth of understanding strengthens not only your teaching, but also your ability to justify and advocate for music within the wider curriculum.
Developing curriculum thinking as a specialist skill
One area where primary music specialists can truly elevate their impact is curriculum design. Moving from individual lessons to a coherent, inclusive curriculum requires clarity of intent and a strong sense of musical purpose. High-quality curriculum thinking goes beyond coverage; it asks what musical understanding pupils should build over time and how knowledge, skills, and experiences interconnect.
Developing confidence in curriculum design also positions you as a leader. Whether you are supporting colleagues, contributing to school improvement discussions, or preparing for inspection, being able to articulate the principles behind your curriculum is a powerful professional skill.
Ensuring true inclusion across all music activities
Inclusive practice is not an “add-on” to effective music teaching; it is central to it. Specialists who take their teaching to the next level actively consider how all children can access, engage with, and succeed in music. This includes thinking carefully about repertoire choices, pedagogical approaches, and classroom structures, as well as understanding barriers that pupils may face.Reflecting on inclusion through a specialist lens encourages you to adapt teaching without lowering musical ambition, ensuring that high expectations and accessibility go hand in hand.
Articulating your professional identity
As specialists, it’s not enough to be effective; you also need to be able to communicate your expertise. This might be to senior leaders, governors, parents, or future employers. Being clear about your musical values, pedagogical approach, and areas of specialism helps you advocate for your subject and for yourself as a professional.Structured reflection, professional dialogue, and engagement with expert-led training can all support this process. Many specialists find that working within a focused professional learning community, rather than in isolation, is key to clarifying and strengthening their professional identity.
Choosing purposeful professional development
Ultimately, taking your teaching to the next level means choosing professional development that respects your expertise while challenging you to grow. Specialist-focused programmes that blend live professional dialogue with independent study can offer the space to reflect, refine, and reconnect with why you teach music in the first place.
For those looking to formalise their development, specialist certification programmes such as the Music Education Solutions® Primary Music Specialist Certificate can provide a structured pathway to deepen pedagogical understanding, enhance practice, and gain recognition for your expertise, without losing sight of the realities of classroom teaching.
Primary music specialists play a vital role in shaping musical lives. Investing in your own professional growth is not a luxury; it’s a way of ensuring that music education remains thoughtful, inclusive, and of the highest possible quality for every child you teach.
Dr Liz Stafford, December 2025. Copyright © 2025 Music Education Solutions Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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