Music

performing arts overarching vision

The performing arts teach us to be creative, reflective and resourceful in what we do, they enable us to speak with confidence in front of others as well as develop our emotional intelligence and empathy. 

Arts and culture help tackle social injustice - theatres, museums, galleries and libraries are the beating heart of our towns and cities. Not only do they bring prosperity, they bring communities together and make life worth living. - Arts Council for England

Through the Performing Arts our young people within all LET schools are able to express a range of emotions within the safety of the classroom or studio. They are able to develop holistically and gain insights and experience into different ways of life. They can push boundaries and move beyond the safety of the familiar and conventional. To put it simply the arts matter.

“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.” – Leonard Bernstein

the importance of music at judgemeadow

Much has been made of the diverse and important skills that music brings to students: co-operation, collaboration, group work, increased ability to manage cognitive load, discipline and creativity. However, the reason that we at Judgemeadow teach Music first and foremost is because Music is wonderful, and we consider that education in all subjects should encourage wonder in the world around us. We are aware that Music as a curriculum subject offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities on a daily basis, and we aim to enrich students’ experience of the world in every way possible.

music curriculum

The curriculum is built around the three core principles of Music: performance, composition and listening/appraising, which is mirrored in the GCSE curriculum. When introducing musical concepts, we believe that students should have an opportunity to hear and do, and that all concepts should be experienced sonically by students. We support this holistic and integrated approach with the use of knowledge organisers in multiple languages to allow all learners to access the curriculum.

Students develop skills in a variety of disciplines including: vocals, keyboards, ukulele, drumming, band work and SoundTrap technology. They exercise creativity through composition and improvisation and all this is underpinned by regular teaching surrounding hearing and identifying the musical elements

intended outcome

• Confident students who are able to enjoy a lifetime connection and appreciation of the Performing Arts disciplines.
• Students who show confidence in social skills and are able to engage positively in collaboration alongside self-reliance.
• Creative thinkers who are able to independently adapt, problem solve and offer solutions.
• Resilient students who are able to face challenges within and outside the Performing Arts.
• Reflective students who are analytical and able to evaluate their own and others performances and written work.
• Metacognitive learners who demonstrate self-motivation and self-regulation.
• Motivated and determined students who are fascinated with the world around them and how the arts contribute to their everyday lives.

timetabling

• Year 7 and 9: 24 hours a year. Music rotates with Art and Drama. Pupils receive 2 lessons per week for 6 weeks before rotating to another subject. They receive this 6-week Music block twice a year.
• Year 8: 36 hours a year. One lesson per week throughout the whole year.
• Year 7 is split into 4 units of work.
• Year 8 is split into 4 units of work.
• Year 9 is split into 2 units of work.

key stage 3 curriculum

The Key Stage 3 curriculum aims to lay a foundation of core musical knowledge and develop a series of practical and creative skills which will allow students to develop their own interests and passion for the subject. The musical elements (sonority, pitch, rhythm, texture, tempo, dynamics and structure) are repeatedly revisited in retrieval practice exercise and elaborated upon through the curriculum. All units of work fully embed the Learning Scientist principles: Retrieval Practice, Spaced Practice, Elaboration, Interleaving and Dual Coding.

curriculum overview

year 7 music: rotation: 2 x 12 lessons
autumn 1	autumn 2	spring 1	spring 2	summer 1	summer 2
LET SoW 1 = Elements of Music Rhythm (5 lessons) Chair Drumming / Drum Kit / Djembe			LET SoW 3 = Playing Chords (7 lessons) Ukelele / Guitar
LET SOW 2 = Elements of Music Pitch (6 lessons) Keyboards			SoW 4 = Intro to Music Technology (4 lessons) BandLab

 

year 8 music: 1 hour per week
Intro to Blues (6 lessons)	LET SOW 1 = Melodic Improvisation Blues (7 lessons)	LET SoW 2 = Music (7 lessons)	Beatles – Ukelele (10/11 lessons) Ukelele

 

year 9 music: rotation: 2 x 12 lessons
Composing to Film (12 lessons) IT / Macs	Jazz (12 lessons) Keyboard / Band Instruments

 

Assessment model for KS3 data snapshots (combination of practical & listening assessment)
attainment	year 7	year 8	year 9
Beginner (B)	7B	8B	9B
Beginner + (B+)	7B+	8B+	9B+
Working Towards (W)	7W	8W	9W
Working Towards + (W+)	7W+	8W+	9W+
Secure (S)	7S	8S	9S
Secure + (S+)	7S+	8S+	9S+

 

KEY STAGE 4 CURRICULUM

At KS4 the curriculum follows the Eduqas GCSE specification. The course covers three areas: Performance (30%), Composition (30%) and Appraising (40%). The classes are co-taught by both music teachers, which different teachers taking the lead on QA for different areas. All students taking GCSE Music currently receive free instrumental lessons. Appraising tests at the end of units include the different AoS that have already been covered so that students are constantly revisiting and retrieving the material.

gcse MUSIC	YEAR 10	YEAR 11
AUTUMN TERM 1	Introduction to Music Theory.   Developing good habits for solo performance and practice.	AoS4 and AoS3 recapped.   AoS2 continued.
AUTUMN TERM 2	AoS4: Popular Music. Taught through listening, performance and intro to composition unit. This will run partially into next term. Study and performance of set work: ‘Africa’.	AoS1: Musical Forms and Devices. Study of set work and classical music genres.   Comp 2 started. Interim recording of ensemble performance.
SPRING TERM 1	AoS4: continued	AoS1 continued (set work)   Extra lesson dedicated to composition.
SPRING TERM 2	AoS3 Film Music.   Solo performance continued.  Developing compositional ideas.	All AoS revised.   Final performance and composition deadlines.
SUMMER TERM 1	AoS3 continued.	General listening revision.
SUMMER TERM 2	AoS2: Music for Ensemble. Intro to ensemble performance – second pieces chosen.	Course completed

 

EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES

We offer a wide range of musical opportunities including but not limited to: vocal group, peripatetic instrumental lessons, keyboard club, rock/pop club, music competitions, karaoke club, creating music videos, workshops and watching live performance. The music department is open during the school day for independent practice and students are encouraged to cultivate their own musical interests.

“The arts are essential to any complete national life. The state owes it to itself to sustain and encourage them…. Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the reverence and delight, which are their due” – Winston Churchill

 

Music Lessons

Students benefit from the teaching of staff who maintain active professional performing careers. A variety of talented peripatetic instrumental teachers come into school to deliver high quality lessons to students on a private basis. Students are entered for performance exams with a variety of internationally renowned exam boards, and are incredibly successful. For more information about instrumental lessons, please see the information below:

If you would like to start playing a musical instrument or continue to learn, then please contact Miss Fairbrother