Music
The music curriculum at Winterstoke Hundred Academy encompasses the National Curriculum and the collaborative CLF Curriculum and is designed to be captivating and inclusive for all students. It enables all pupils to develop confidence and resilience through performance, composition and active listening. As a working musician and musical director as well as a teacher, I will encourage children to value and develop their own creative identities through expressing themselves and communicating with others. Our aim is that they will leave school having built an inherent appreciation, understanding and life-long love of music.
Our topics are broad to enable students explore the knowledge, understanding and skills that are the framework of the curriculum. These are frequently revisited and prepare students for further study and for musical contexts outside of school. Students will gain an understanding of music notation and theory and will explore the contribution of a diverse range of musicians across a variety of musical genres from different social, cultural and historical contexts and the wider world. Throughout the curriculum we will provide an opportunity for students of all backgrounds and musical tastes to engage with, be inspired by and progress musically throughout their school life.
Music lessons at WHA will ignite curiosity and prepare students for future learning both musically but with all the skills that come along with learning music. Students will understand how music can support the development of life skills and cross-curricular skills such as confidence, self-awareness, perseverance, discipline, teamwork, patience, resilience, organisation, creativity and provide a holistic experience that they can take with them into other areas of their lives.
Alongside classroom lessons, students will have access to a range of extracurricular music activities where they can build on their knowledge, understanding and practical music making skills. This ranges from choir, to drumming group, band rehearsals, composition and recording labs as well as a yearly school production, and regular creative arts showcases where students can perform as soloists and within groups collaborating with drama and dance.
We have visiting music teachers that offer individual and small group lessons on a range of instruments and as a school there is financial help available to those students that need it, providing inclusive access to everything our music department offers.
Our music curriculum at WHA is designed for students to build their confidence and skills, both theoretical and practical, in order to be well developed and to be successful on the KS4 and KS5 courses we offer.
Music Key Stage 3
| Year 7 | ||||||
| Term | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Unit Title | How do we capture the spirit of carnival? | What makes a great composer? | Glastonbury | |||
| Content | note values, bars, pulse, beat, repetition, ostinato, conducting, 4/4, 3/4 rhythm games, chair drumming, ostinato writing, polyrhythm composition tasks, West African drumming | staff notation, what is a chord, major, minor, intervals, TAB, melody, shape, accidentals learning location of notes on keyboard, then learning solo keyboard performance (without notes on) | instrumental families, call & response, melody & accompaniment, layers, crescendo, diminuendo, forte, piano, structure how to start performing in a group, arrangement, instrumental skills in different instruments (eg. piano, voice, guitar, drums), link to Glastonbury | |||
| Year 8 | ||||||
| Term | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (6 wks) | 5 (5 wks) | 6 (7 wks) |
| Unit Title | How has music narrated the struggle for equality? | What makes a great composer? | Glastonbury | |||
| Content | syncopation, other time signatures in more detail, triplets History of the blues – 12 bar blues chords, walking bass, improvisation, AAB lyrics, Song writing techniques – chords & lyrics | use of chords in composing, chords I, IV, V, primary chords, keys 5 composers of varied backgrounds -Toccata performance -arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon | amplification of instruments in compositional context (film, other), layers moving together/separately, monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic, articulation and playing techniques (staccato, legato, arco, pizzicato) deeper understanding of elements & instrumental skills, more repertoire, a cappella, folk groups, ensemble, orchestra | |||
| Year 9 | ||||||
| Term | 1 (6.5 wks) | 2 (7 wks) | 3 (6 wks) | 4 (6 wks) | 5 (5 wks) | 6 (7 wks) |
| Unit Title | How has music narrated the struggle for equality? | Bringing moving image to life | Glastonbury | |||
| Content | syncopation, offbeat chords, typical drumbeats of Reggae & Hip Hop, drum loops, lyric writing, bassline Reggae performance – offbeat chords, melody & bassline. Hip Hop song writing – riff, backbeat, lyrics, relationship between Punk/Ska – musical rebellion | circle of 5ths, modulation, diminished chords, dominant 7th chord, suspensions, leitmotif, silent film, cliches, pedal note, foley Short composition tasks, listening tasks, identifying elements | cover, remix, acoustic/electric, accuracy of pitches & rhythms, expression and interpretation, structure instrumental skills, more repertoire (10 pieces), ensembles revisited | |||
BTEC Music – Level 2- Edexcel
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | |
| Year 10 | : Component 1 – Exploring Music Products and Styles Students will learn about music styles, artists and producers who have impacted music genres. Students will study the development of technology and about types of music product and music performance techniques. Students will also learn about software used in making music. Students will create a portfolio of evidence that shows understanding of at least four styles, including musical analysis, and making music in each style and create three music products with a supporting commentary. | Component 2 – Developing Music Skills Students will demonstrate professional and commercial skills for the music industry and learn about the planning and management of making music. Students will apply development processes for music skills and techniques which will develop their composing skills. Students will plan and create an original composition with commentary and audio files to support and plan and create a music production piece with commentary and audio files to support. | ||||
| Year 11 | omponent 2 – Developing Music Skills Students will demonstrate professional and commercial skills for the music industry and learn about the planning and management of making music. Students will apply development processes for music skills and techniques which will develop their composing skills. Students will plan and create an original composition with commentary and audio files to support and plan and create a music production piece with commentary and audio files to support. | Component 3 – Responding to a Music Brief The exam board will give students a brief. This is a scenario or event to make music for. Students will plan, create and evaluate a music product in response to this brief. Students will create a composition in relation to the musical brief, submit a commentary relating to their music and the brief and submit a self-reflection relating to their creative processes, strengths, and areas for development. | ||||
BTEC Music – Level 3 – Edexcel
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | ||
| 2024-5 | Year 12 | Unit 1 – Practical Theory and Harmony Students will learn about music theory; both traditional notation and alternative forms of notation, and all the signs and symbols associated with music notation. Students will be asked to write a report explaining these signs and symbols in detail. Students will also learn about melody and harmony; they will be given a range of assessed tasks such as composing a chord sequence to a given melody and vice versa. They will also be asked to arrange a piece of music for a range of instruments in a range of different musical keys. Unit 2 – Professional Practice in the Music Industry Students will produce a proposal for a given scenario within the Music Industry in exam conditions. Students will draw upon their learning of all areas of the Music Industry to produce a professional, realistic, and detailed proposal that meets the needs of the scenario. | |||||
| Year 13 | Unit 6 – Solo Music Performance Students will look at the skills required to be a proficient and competent solo performer. They will be asked to produce a written report detailing these skills and giving examples of how they are used by industry professionals. There is also a practical element to this unit where students will be assessed on their ability to rehearse, improve their technical skills on their instrument and give a performance as a solo performer. | Unit 3 – Ensemble Music Performance Students will need to perform a number of songs as part of an ensemble. They will be assessed on their ability to plan, lead, and take part in rehearsals as well as the quality of their final performance. | |||||
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | ||
| 2023-4 | Year 12 | Unit 6 – Solo Music Performance Students will look at the skills required to be a proficient and competent solo performer. They will be asked to produce a written report detailing these skills and giving examples of how they are used by industry professionals. There is also a practical element to this unit where students will be assessed on their ability to rehearse, improve their technical skills on their instrument and give a performance as a solo performer. | Unit 3 – Ensemble Music Performance Students will need to perform a number of songs as part of an ensemble. They will be assessed on their ability to plan, lead, and take part in rehearsals as well as the quality of their final performance. | ||||
| Year 13 | Unit 1 – Practical Theory and Harmony Students will learn about music theory; both traditional notation and alternative forms of notation, and all the signs and symbols associated with music notation. Students will be asked to write a report explaining these signs and symbols in detail. Students will also learn about melody and harmony; they will be given a range of assessed tasks such as composing a chord sequence to a given melody and vice versa. They will also be asked to arrange a piece of music for a range of instruments in a range of different musical keys. Unit 2 – Professional Practice in the Music Industry Students will produce a proposal for a given scenario within the Music Industry in exam conditions. Students will draw upon their learning of all areas of the Music Industry to produce a professional, realistic, and detailed proposal that meets the needs of the scenario. | ||||||
