Music

“'Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything ".

Plato

Department Vision Statement/ Curriculum Intent

In September 2020 the music department introduced a brand new curriculum, based around the principles of Musical Future’s Just Play. Year 7, 8 and 9 follow a similar curriculum because of this.

This is centred around the strands of a typical music education; Listening and Appraising, Composing and Performing, but with a focus on developing core instrumental skills on ukulele, guitar and keyboard. Pupils are then able to utilise these skills when exploring different genres of music and composing their own pieces. Learning comes through practical exploration first, with every lesson having practical music making at its core.

As well as the fundamental music skills, pupils will also develop a range of transferable skills within their music lessons. They develop their confidence by being given lots of opportunities to perform. Pupils are taught how to give positive feedback, helping to nurture a safe environment and one which is supportive, aiming to put even the most nervous performers at ease. Through this they gain a sense of achievement and the skills needed to evaluate themselves and their music constructively. Music naturally requires a great amount of perseverance and resilience, and this is something that pupils learn throughout key stage 3 as they develop their instrumental skills. Within composing tasks pupils work as part of a team, learning to cooperate and to be creative together. They learn about leadership and collaboration. Through listening tasks pupils learn about the context of different genres of music and develop an appreciation of different musical styles.

As pupils move into key stage 4 they may want to carry on with their music education. Here they continue to develop their skills as musicians, but at a more advanced level. The vocational course prepares them for a possible career in music, but expands many of the transferable skills from key stage three.

Pupils are given the opportunity to extend their musical learning through a wide range of extra-curricular activities which support the work taking place in the classroom. This includes lunchtime and after school clubs, trips, concerts and instrumental lessons. We have a fantastic team of peripatetic music staff able to teach a variety of instruments. All are professional musicians as well as teachers and so offer an insight into life as a musician.

Music Tuition?

Click here to view our instrumental lessons

 

YEAR GROUPS 

Year 7 - KS3

TERM

Term One

TOPIC

Introduction to Music

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
Homework Book

TERM

Term Two

TOPIC

Keyboard Skills Part 1
Melody

WHY?

 

RESOURCES

Class Workbook
Homework Book


TERM

Term Three

TOPIC

Ukulele Skills
Chords
Harmony

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
Homework Book

TERM

Term Four

TOPIC
Ukulele Skills
Chords
Harmony
 
RESOURCES
Class Workbook
Homework Book

TERM

Term Five

TOPIC

The Orchestra
Instruments of the orchestra
Great Composers

WHY?
 
RESOURCES
Class Workbook
Homework Book

TERM

Term Six

TOPIC

The Carnival of the Animals
Composition

WHY?
 
RESOURCES

Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book


Year 8 - KS3

TERM

Term One

TOPIC

Keyboard Skills Part 2
Chords
Harmony

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Two

TOPIC
Keyboard Skills Part 2
Chords
Harmony
WHY?
 
RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Three

TOPIC

Film Music
Sound effects
Composition

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Four

TOPIC
Film Music
Sound effects
​​​​​​​Composition
WHY?
 
RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Five

TOPIC

Blues Music
History
Musical Features
Composition

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Six

TOPIC
Blues Music
History
Musical Features
​​​​​​​Composition
WHY?
 
RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

Year 9 - KS3

TERM

Term One

TOPIC

Just Play Part 1
Band skills

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Two

TOPIC

Just Play Part 2
Further band skills

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Three

TOPIC

Reggae
History
Musical Features
Class Performance

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Four

TOPIC

Song Writing Part 1
Song structure and lyric writing

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Five

TOPIC

Song Writing Part 2
Melody, Harmony and Rhythm Recording

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

TERM

Term Six

TOPIC

Just Play Part 3
Further band skills

WHY?

 

RESOURCES
Class Workbook
​​​​​​​Homework Book

Year 10 - KS4 - Exam Board - Pearson

Course Introduction

Pupils take part in a range of practical activities to introduce them to the course and each other. This includes rehearsing for a short performance to the class. They learn the keywords required for the course and complete a wide range of listening activities to further develop their understanding of these.
TOPIC

Component 1
Indian Classical Music, Blues Music, British Invasion, EDM, Reggae, Classical music

WHY?

Pupils spend the majority of this year exploring different genres of music. For each genre they learn about its historical context and origins, typical musical features and musicians associated with the style. They complete research tasks and listening activities as well as practical exploration of each style. This could include composing music using the musical features identified, producing music using Soundtrap as well as rehearsing and performing existing pieces of music. A case study of a chosen musician gives pupils the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to analyse music using the keywords taught at the beginning of the course.

Using everything they have learnt so far pupils then submit a piece of coursework that incorporates their acquired knowledge as well as their practical exploration and case

RESOURCES

Curriculum Booklet

Homework Booklet

Year 11 - KS4 - Exam Board - Pearson

TOPIC

Component 2
Developing Skills

WHY?
Pupils learn about the roles of performer, composer and producer within the music industry. They explore what each role involves and the skills required. They then choose to focus on two of these areas for this component. For each area they carry out a skills audit, identifying their strengths and areas for development. They set themselves SMART targets and devise an action plan to set out how they will demonstrate developing their skills. Pupils then work towards a performance, finished composition or arrangement that shows how they have developed their skills. Along the way they collect evidence at milestone points and evaluate their progress.
RESOURCES

Curriculum Booklet

Homework Booklet


TOPIC

Component 3
Responding to a Brief

WHY?
This is the externally assessed element of the course. Pupils select a piece of music and a style of music from the exam brief provided. They begin by learning their chosen piece and understanding how it is constructed. Through a range of workshop lessons they explore the musical features of the different styles on the brief. They then work to change their chosen piece into the chosen style. Once completed they record their finished piece. Alongside this they write about their plans and ideas, demonstrating their understanding of their chosen style, explaining the process of how they created the piece and evaluating the finished product through a range of milestone reports.
RESOURCES

Curriculum Booklet

Homework Booklet