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.