Music
KS3
At Waltham Toll Bar Academy we will consistently revisit the following themes in Music:
Performance: Either solo or ensemble performance to peers and assessors, using accurate rhythm and melody with expression.
Composition: Reflecting on a stimulus, the creation of either melodic or rhythmic creation, using either standard score notation or graphic score.
Critical Listening: Using the musical elements to articulate what devices have successfully employed in a composition.
Musical Elements: Rhythm & Metre, Melody, Rhythm, Texture, Dynamics, Structure & Form, Harmony, Tonality and Timbre.
Motor Skills: Development of accurate forming of melodies/chords on a keyboard/ukulele and motor skills on a djembe/samba instruments.
Score Reading: Accurate reading of treble clef notation, later bass clef, and transferability to performance on an instrument.
Year 7
- Within our Year 7 curriculum, we divide the students’ skills into three distinct, yet intertwined disciplines – Performance, Composition and Critical Listening (in line with the National Curriculum. Every scheme of work will have elements of each discipline to progress naturally throughout KS3, in preparation for a smooth transition to KS4 and beyond.
- Students first of all explore the foundations of all music making through the exploration of the musical elements. These musical elements are discussed throughout the entirety of KS3 and beyond.
- As well as this musical knowledge and skill, we are keen to address social and cultural demands on our curriculum. Instilling a sense of our British Values, showing empathy to others when performing, creating a sense of self-discipline when rehearsing.
- We also explore the cultural contexts of the genres we explore, particularly our World Music topics, enriching the understanding of our student’s perception of diversity and inclusivity in our day to day lives.
Year 8
- Within Music, our Year 8 curriculum is designed to build upon the key concepts established throughout Year 7 and Key Stage 2 studies and address these from different perspectives.
- As well as in Y7, students will also a range of eclectic genres, styles and skill disciplines, however, at this stage, we are expecting our students to be more focussed over their skill set as a performer and being able to critically listen to a performance and understand the process involved in the construction and emotional response.
- Year 8 students still use the basis of the three disciplines – Performance, Composition and Critical Listening, in their lessons, but now with a broader and more cohesive sense of how these are intrinsically linked.
- Students will have an opportunity to explore a range of instrumentation techniques whilst being made aware of the interchangeable skills that can be transferred from one instrument to another.
Year 9
- The three year curriculum programme at Waltham Toll Bar Academy is cyclic one. Over the three years, students revisit key skills in the guises of different genres and styles. Students are constantly building on previous well sequenced skills to progress onto KS4 and beyond.
- As well as the obvious musical skills we are developing in Y9, we also focus on the interpersonal skills, instilling our British Values.
- By the end of Y9, students should be able to critically analyse their own/peer performances using the musical elements effectively. Creating an action plan moving forward to the next level of technical and emotional proficiency.
- Throughout their studies of Music within Year 9 students will be prepared for their future studies at GSCE level by developing many of the key skills required for GCSE Music.
