Curriculum Allocation

Music is taught for one 100-minute lesson per fortnight.

Curriculum Period 1: "Rhythms and Melodies: Performance Skills and Notation"

Curriculum content: 

Students learn to perform a Grade 1 drum study, developing their understanding of the musical elements and rhythm notation. Students then use these skills to compose and perform a drum study, before transferring to pitched percussion performance and composition on the keyboard. Students learn to perform and compose their own melodies, developing their aural skills and ability to use pitch notation. Students will also explore and develop their vocal skills through a variety of singing activities in preparation for the annual Christmas Concert performance - this will include learning vocal repertoire from the show "The Nutcracker", which they will go on a school trip to watch at the New Victoria Theatre in Assessment Period 1.

Students develop their technical instrumental skills by learning to perform at the keyboard with good technique and musicality; they will work through a set repertoire, increasing in technical difficulty and musical demand. Students will also learn to perform and compose canons and rounds, using their vocal and keyboard skills in conjunction with their knowledge of staff notation. 

Students will also develop their listening and appraising skills, learning to analyse familiar and unfamiliar music using the language of the musical elements and their contextual knowledge of musical cultures and genres.

As part of their wider learning in the Arts, following Curriculum Period 1 students will write a review of the live performance of "The Nutcracker" and will write a practice diary and reflection on their work towards their Christmas Concert choral performance. This will form Parts A and B of their Bronze Arts Award Accreditation

Assessment

Students' practical work will be assessed at a weighting of 60% of their overall grade in line with the assessment weightings at GCSE Music. They will sit a short listening and appraising assessment, in which they will apply their theoretical understanding of the musical elements to unfamiliar music. 

Curriculum Period 2: “Pop Music 1: Chords and Structures"

Curriculum content

Students develop a practical and theoretical understanding of chord progressions, learning how to fit chords and melodies together and composing their own chord progressions to fit pop melodies. Students will also listen to and appraise a broad range of pop song styles from 1950 to the present day, and will develop their understanding of different roles in pop bands and typical pop music structures.

Students will develop their musicianship by performing a cover version of a set work pop song in ensembles, in which they will also improvise melodies at the keyboard (or an instrument of their choosing). 

They will also develop their understanding of career pathways in the pop music industry.

Students will return to, and build on, this particular area of musical learning again in Year 9.

Assessment

  Students' practical work will be assessed at a weighting of 60% of their overall grade (30% performing, 30% composing) in line with the assessment weightings at GCSE Music. They will sit a listening and appraising assessment, in which they will hear unfamiliar listening extracts and will apply their theoretical understanding, including their understanding of pop music structures, terminology and chords. 

Curriculum Period 3: Completing the Bronze Arts Award

Curriculum content:

In the (shorter) final Curriculum Period of Year 7, students will complete their portfolio of artistic learning and development for their Bronze Arts Award (an externally-moderated Level 2 accredited qualification). Students will research artistic practitioners who inspire their creative learning, and will participate in a poetry-writing workshop before sharing their poetic skills with others. Students will then be given the opportunity to celebrate and share their portfolios with others as part of our cross-curricular Arts Week.

Assessment

Students' portfolios will then be submitted for external moderation by Arts Award.

Subject advice and guidance:

If you need any further guidance then please contact Mrs Reardon-Davies, the Director of Teaching and Learning for Music, via email:

a.reardon-davies@endon.shaw-education.org.uk