Curriculum overview
Aims
The Music department aims to provide students with a broad and meaningful way of interacting with music. Performance, composition and listening skills are at the forefront of learning music and are the areas of assessment that allow the individual to develop their musicianship. The department hopes to promote both independent learning and group work skills inside and out of the classroom. The topics offered at KS3 will allow students to successfully transition to GCSE music if they should choose to.
KS3:
Year 7 – Topics Taught
Folk music
Christmas music
Graphic Notation
Instruments of the Orchestra
Cartoon Music
Music Technology
Rap Music.
Year 8 – Topics Taught
African Music
Blues
Reggae
Bhangra
Salsa
Gamelan
The Beatles
Minimalism
Baroque, Classical, Romantic.
Year 9 – Topics Taught
Ground Bass
Songwriting
Film Music
Dance Music
Ragtime Jazz
End of KS3 project.
Method of Assessment at KS3:
Half termly listening tests are performed, student analyse unprepared musical extracts and critique using the following terms: Tempo, texture, pitch, dynamics, syncopation and rhythm.
Students are assessed playing or singing solo or as part of a clas arrangement linked to the topic that half term.
Students compositions are assessed termly and are linked to the focus of that half term.
KS4:
Year 10 – Topics Taught
Performance, listening and composition around the following topics:
The Blues
Music Theory Grade 1
R&B
Gospe;
Jazz
Musicals
Opera
Film
Rhythm and Dance
Minuet and Trio
Rock
Form
Fusion
Ragtime
Serialism
Minimalism
Club and Dance
Exam prep
Controlled assessment
Year 11 – Topics Taught
Revision of AOS:1, 2, 3, and 4
Exam preparation
Controlled Assessment (composition)
Performance exam prep time.
Method of Assessment at KS4 (include Exam boards and weightings)
WJEC
Performance 30%
Bi -weekly performance assessment (peer and self assessment) over the Autumn and spring term
Composition 30%
20 Hours given over to planning and composition.
Listening test 40%
1 period per week over the Spring and summer terms given to revision and past papers. Students have theory books for added support in this which they complete for homework.