At Key Stage 3 should gain an understanding of the building blocks of musical composition and understand how to construct a successful performance. They will also have an appreciation of the music from many cultures and backgrounds and through this gain an understanding of the context of their own musical taste and tradition. Through performing they will have developed team work skills and an understanding of leadership. As composers they will have developed independent learning and decision making skills as well as an understanding of the place of ICT within contemporary music production. Students will develop the confidence to express themselves and an empathy with others.
Course Content
Year 7
Year 7 have 2 music lessons per fortnight. Classes are taught in mixed ability Tutor Groups. 1 lesson each fortnight will be performance based and one will be composition based using the specialist music mac suite.
Activities include:
- Pentatonic music and Ostinato
- Instruments of the orchestra
- Folk music and song writing
Year 8
Year 8 have 2 music lessons per fortnight. Classes are taught in mixed ability Tutor Groups. 1 lesson each fortnight will be performance based and one will be composition based using the specialist music mac suite.
Activities include:
- Nocturnes
- Reggae
- Film Music and
- World Music
Year 9
Year 9 have 2 music lessons per fortnight. Classes are taught in mixed ability Tutor Groups. 1 lesson each fortnight will be performance based and one will be composition based using the specialist music mac suite.
Activities include:
- Jazz & Blues
- Music for Special Events
- Perform a Song and
- Dance Music
Subject Specific Skills
In Key Stage 3 Music lessons, students develop skill sin performing and composing and appraising through the study of a wide range of music.
Key skills include
- Chords (Including major & minor, inversions and 7ths)
- Bass Line (including broken chords and riff)
- Melody (including passing notes, leap & step, ornamentation and leit motif)
- Improvisation (Including blues scale and melody)
- Rhythm (including swing, syncopation and polyrhythms)
- Sonority (including synth, orchestra and world music timbres)
- Elements of music (Dynamics, Tempo, Texture, Timbre, Tonality)
- Performance (Including accuracy, musicality & rhythm)
Assessment in Lower School Music
How we assess
Music is assessed as either a composing or performance task. Most performances are centred around keyboard skills. The key focus of performance assessment is rhythm and listening with a secondary focus on the capacity of a student to play keyboard. A students attitude to performance is also assessed. In composition the focus is creating and manipulating ideas at the computer with a particular focus on chords, melody and bass line.
When we assess
In music we assess each student at least 6 times each year. Each year group is assessed in both performing and composing in term 1.
Marking Expectations
Students tracking booklets and flight path sheets are completed 6 times per year in line with the school marking policy. When homework is set this is marked by class teachers and returned to students for redrafting.
Setting in Lower School Music
All students are in their Tutor Groups for their Music lessons with differentiation of Teaching and Learning used effectively to support all levels of progress across the ability range.
Homework
To include:
- Research and presentation of a topic
- Listening tasks
- Comprehension tasks
Homework will take 30 minutes per week in lower school. Some homework will be set over 2 or 3 weeks and will be expected to take 60 or 90 minutes respectively.
Supporting Your Daughter in Lower School Music
- Encourage attendance to the Period 6 LEAP music activities
- Encourage participation in Harmony choir in year 7 masterclass
- Ensure your daughter has a pair of working headphones to bring to each lesson
- Share your music enthusiasm with your daughter