Music is a subject area that not only develops practical and creative skills, but informs our understanding of the different cultures, beliefs and values we live in. It provides the opportunity for everyone to focus on developing creativity and imagination through performance, composing and appreciating music through listening.
Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)
The curriculum delivered focuses on introducing pupils in Year 7 to music skills that is built and reinforced through different topics in Years 8 and 9. They are encouraged to develop their performance skills on a variety of tuned and untuned musical instruments, composing in certain styles/ genres of music and listen to a range of musical genres from Western Classical Music to music heard in today’s generation.
Students also have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument through the departments peripatetic service.
In the projects covered, all pupils will:
- Gain and continue to develop their understanding of core music performance skills.
- Gain and continue to develop their understanding music theoretical skills through performance and writing.
- Explore a range of musical styles and genres, exploring diverse cultures that defines key genres through musical history.
- Be clear on the expectations needed to gain grades reflecting whole school targets set, and how to achieve them.
Curriculum Content
At KS3 students are expected:
- To use a range of music practical and theoretical skills to perform music from different genres and musical periods.
- To use a range of music practical and theoretical skills to compose to a set brief.
- To increase their ability to perform, compose and listen more confidently.
- To analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others.
- To study the history of music through listening, including periods, styles and major movements from Western Classical up to the present day.
- To offer and respond to feedback in order to develop the work further
- To be respectful as they use a range of equipment and resources, including musical instruments and recording equipment, and become active audience members as well as performers.
Key Stage 4 and 5
Assessment Format: Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Music Practice
Key Stage 4
The Tech Award gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific applied knowledge and skills through realistic vocational contexts. The focus is on four areas of equal importance, which cover the:
- Development of key skills that prove learners’ aptitude in music, such as responding to a musical brief using musical skills and techniques
- Processes that underpin effective ways of working in the music sector, such as the development of musical ideas, and using skills and techniques for rehearsal, creation, production and performance to respond to a music brief
- Attitudes that are considered most important in the music sector, including personal management and communication
- Knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, processes and attitudes in the sector, such as musical skills and styles.
This Tech Award complements the learning in GCSE programmes by broadening experience and skills participation in different types of musical techniques for different musical styles.
The Tech Award gives learners the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in a practical way through exploration and development of techniques and styles.
Curriculum Content
- Demonstrate an understanding of professional skills needed in the music industry
- Demonstrate an understanding of how to develop your music skills through planning and communication.
- Apply an understanding of how to develop technical music skills and techniques through performance and composition.
- Apply an understanding of how to develop music skills and techniques through performance and composition.
- Demonstrate an understanding of different musical styles
- Demonstrate an understanding of different musical elements, stylistic features, and characteristics
- Apply understanding of music industry products to create music
- Apply understanding of music techniques to create music
- How to respond to a music brief understanding its intentions, constraints and how to plan to ensure it is successful.
- How to develop and produce an accurate response to your brief showing organisational skills, preparation and consideration of constraints.
- How to refine your musical skills for a musical product through your composition or performance and personal time management.
- How to present my completed product through purposeful evaluation and understanding of quality required before completing product.
Key Stage 5 = BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Music
Attraction of the Subject:
- Plenty of opportunities to get hands on experience in music studios, performances and keynote speakers from industry experts.
- Real life vocational assessment scenarios.
- Encourages personal creativity and allows great freedom to explore ideas.
- Teaches cognitive and problem solving, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.
- Helps you to communicate better and express your ideas more easily.
- Widens your cultural horizons through the exploration music genres through performance.
- Opens up a variety of career opportunities.
Special Requirement
- Playing a music instrument would be beneficial though not necessarily a requirement.
- Well organised and self-motivated.
- Creative skills through performance and composing
- Ability to work as a team as well as independently
- Determined and commited to build on performance and composing skills developed at key stage 3 and 4
Further information can be found at:https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Nationals/Music/2017/Specification/btec-l3-nat-found-dip-and-ext-dip-in-music-spec.pdf