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Key Stage 3
All students in Key Stage 3 study Music, covering a range of different disciplines. The curriculum focuses on building performance, composition, listening and appraising skills.
In Year 7, students explore the following topics:
In Year 8 students study topics including:
Key Stage 4
At Key Stage 4 we offer AQA GCSE Music. The course is broken into 3 key components: Understanding Music, Performing Music and Composing Music. Students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of musical styles, from classical music, to pop music, to traditional music. Students will explore and develop understanding of a wide range of musical devices and will explore a number of set works in depth. The course content is explored through a mix of performance, composition and listening and appraisal activities.
The course is broken down into three components as detailed below:
Component 1 Listening and Understanding: Students will be assessed on their understanding of a range of ‘unfamiliar’ music clips and on two given set works through an exam at the end of Year 11.
Component 2 Performing Music: Students will complete two performances, lasting a combined total of 4 minutes. One of these should be an ensemble performance / performance with two or more live performers (this music last for a minimum of 1 minute).
Component 3 Composing Music: Students will compose two pieces of music lasting a combined total of 3 minutes or more. One composition is a ‘free’ composition choice and the second is a ‘composition to a brief’ which is released by the exam board in the September of Year 11. Students will have the use of music software (Logic and Sibelius) along with the iMacs to complete each composition.
Key Stage 5
At Key Stage 5 we offer the BTEC National Extended Certificate in Music Performance
Music
The BTEC National Extended Certificate in Music Performance comprises of four units. The course aims to further develop students musical understanding and appreciation, composition skills and their performance skills,both as a soloist and in an ensemble. The breakdown of each unit can be seen below:
This unit introduces the students to the fundamentals of music theory. Through this unit students will explore and understanding how music notation can be written, exploring a wide range of types of notation. They will explore how to compose melodies and harmonies that are effectively and complimentary. They will explore instrumentation and transposing instruments. During this internally assessed unit, students will be assessed on three assignments that they will complete.
IN this unit, students will explore what it is that makes someone a professional in the music industry. They will explore the importance of professional practice in the music industry, exploring what goes on behind the scenes. They will gain understanding of what ‘professional practice’ is as well as what it means to work as a freelancer in the industry. They will gain understanding of the skills required to be successful. This unit is externally assessed and as part of this, students will be required to produce a bid of a given scenario, where they will need to create a project plan, budget, rationale and presentation in response to this.
In this unit students work together as part of a musical ensemble. They will develop their skills and technique in rehearsal and in performance. Students will be given a list of songs which they will need to work as a musical ensemble to develop original performances of each of these. They will need to demonstrate how to rehearse and come to decisions together as an ensemble and how to perform effectively to an audience. This unit is externally assessed and alongside recording their final group performance, they will complete written tasks highlighting their progress at each milestone stage.
In this unit, students will explore and develop their skills as a soloist. They will explore and practise the specific skills needed to perform effectively as a soloist, including how to engage the audience, stagecraft, as well as effective musical practice and rehearsal. This is an internally assessed unit and students will need to demonstrate understanding of the skills needed to complete a solo performance and put these into practice prior to completing a well prepared solo performance at the end of the unit.