Students will have:

• A strong comprehension of the elements of music: Dynamics, duration, rhythm, pitch, structure, melody, metre, instrumentation, texture, tempo, tonality, timbre and harmony.
• Developed knowledge to analyse, perform, compose and evaluate music.
• The understanding and ability to identify historical features through time.

By the end of KS3 our intention is for students to know where music came from and how the musical elements have developed and ranged over a musical timeline (from Ancient times 8000 BC) to create the music we know today.

In Year 9, we teach Music for one hour a week to all classes.

In September 2019, we introduced our knowledge rich curriculum which includes a three year plan for our curriculum to develop and to ensure our current and new students are taught the knowledge rich curriculum. Therefore, Year 8 and 9 classes will be touching on new topics within the new Year 7 curriculum too. 

Students are given more opportunity to develop their instrumental skills and to specialise on instruments of their choice. In Year 9, students are beginning to develop song-writing techniques and capabilities to use music software on Macbooks.

Topic Overview for September 2019

• Evolution of Popular Music from around the world and it’s connection to Blues music

• Samba - 16th Century – modern day

• Elements of Music in Practice

• Protest Song Writing

• Musical Futures Group Composition – Melody Writing

• Sibelius – Music software

Students are given the opportunity to participate in our extra-curricular activities, which occur weekly. Instrumentalists can join the Junior or Senior Concert Band. Students who don’t play an instrument are welcome to join the Pop Choir, Samba Band, Music Production Group and Rock Band. Furthermore, the music department welcomes students to play on the keyboards before/after school and at break time. The students are also allowed to book practice rooms after school to further develop their solo/group performance skills on instruments they choose.

In addition, students have the opportunity to develop their instrumental skill through receiving peripatetic instrumental lessons from outside musicians. At a reduced rate of £50 per term, students can receive tuition in the following instruments: Keyboard/piano, Guitar/Bass, Drums, Singing, DJing, Brass (Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba), Woodwind (Saxophone, flute, clarinet, oboe), and Strings (violin, cello, viola, double bass). A child on free school meals is welcome to have one instrumental lesson at no cost.

The music department offers two whole school concerts every year, one in December and one in May. Students are able to audition for a spot and all extra-curricular groups will have the opportunity to perform their on-going work to a large audience.

Furthermore, students who have shown a consistent commitment to music outside of lesson time i.e. continuous contribution to extra-curricular etc. will be invited on our yearly tour.

Useful Websites

ArtForms Leeds - www.artformsleeds.co.uk

Bitesize Music - www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects

Useful Documents

School Music Development Plan 2024/25
Music Curriculum Road Map
Extra Curricular Music Clubs 2024/25