Music

Year 7

Music in Year 7 is about laying the foundational skills needed for success in later years. Students study the Elements of Music using a variety of listening, practical music making and theory based topics, finishing with an introduction to specialist music software on the computers.
 

Year 8

In Year 8, students continue to use instruments in practical music making. Listening and theory tasks build on their knowledge of how the Elements of Music can be manipulated and they also develop their confidence using Cubase with composing and creating projects. 
 

Year 9

Using a combination of practical instruments and computer work, students develop their appraising, performance and production skills. They look at the music industry to gain insight into roles and opportunities available with BTEC style projects.
 
 

Year 7 Term 4 Medieval Music  

 

Learning 

Mastering 

Extending 

PERFORMING 

You can play your own part or parts accurately and fluently. 

You can play your own part or parts, keeping in time with the ensemble and you are using some of the musical elements to enhance the performance. 

You can play your own part or parts in time with the ensemble, taking a lead and helping others. Most of the musical elements are being used. 

COMPOSING 

You have used basic rhythms to meet the brief. 

You have contributed ideas and rhythms to the group to create a structured piece of music. 

You have used lots of different elements of music to create an imaginative piece. 

ENGAGEMENT 

You are able to justify your choices and responses to music. 

 

You can suggest appropriate refinements to practical music. 

 

You are able to respond to the work of others in an appropriate way, giving useful advice and helpful feedback. 

 
 
 
 

Year 8 Term 3 The Blues Practical Assessment 

 

Learning 

Mastering 

Extending 

ACCURACY 

You can play most of the notes of the Blues chord sequence correctly. 

You can play all of the notes of the Blues chord sequence correctly.  

You can play the chords in your RIGHT hand and the bass line in your LEFT hand mostly correctly. 

FLUENCY 

You can play some parts of the Blues chord sequence fluently. 

You can play most of the Blues chord sequence fluently. 

You can play the chords in your RIGHT hand and the bass line in your LEFT hand mostly fluently. 

IMPROVISNIG 

You can play the blues scale using a straight and swung rhythm. 

You have used the blues scale to create and play 2 new patterns. 

You have used notes from the blues scale to create and play several patterns that link together fluently. 

 

 

Year 9 Keyboard Skills Reggae 

 

Learning 

Mastering 

Extending 

PERFORMING 

You can play the hook and the chords mostly in time with the beat, singing the melody with the class. 

You can play the hook, chords melody in time with the beat. You can also chord vamp.
You play the keyboard with a good hand position. 

You can play the off beat chords in time with the beat.  

You can play the hook in your right hand and the chords in your left hand in time with the beat. 

HISTORY AND THEORY 

You know where Reggae is from. You can name two artists and 3 musical features of Reggae. 

You can recognise and explain 3 musical features of Reggae and know 3 other facts. 

You can explain what off beat chords are and explain the origins of Reggae in detail. 

ENGAGEMENT 

You work well with your partner to plan the performance. You can suggest improvements to your own and others work, 

You work well with a partner, sharing responsibilities. 

You are able to justify with a musical reason why you like/disklike a piece of music. 

You work well with a partner, often taking the lead and helping others. 

You are able to justify improvements to your own and others work. 
 
 

KS4

This is a two year course where students build on their KS3 knowledge to successfully complete 3 components.
 
Exploring Music Products and Styles: Students explore techniques used in the creation of different musical products whilst developing knowledge of key features of different musical styles and genres. This is an internally assessed unit.
 
Music Skills Development: Students have the opportunity to develop two musical disciplines, performing, creating or producing, documenting their progress and planning further improvment. They also identify skills needed to be successful in the music industry. This is an internally assessed unit. 
 
Responding to a Commercial Music Brief: Students will be given the opportunity to develop and present music in response to a given commercial music brief. They will focus on a particular area of the music industry that appeals to them and respond  to a commercial brief as a composer, performer or producer.