Curriculum Implementation

Music structures the curriculum into a 3-year Key Stage 3 and a 2 year KS4 curriculum.

Subject specialists have given consideration and thought to the sequence and rationale of the curriculum; why we teach the content we do and in the order that we do. This is to ensure knowledge is not isolated information; it is connected knowledge that enables comprehension.

At Key Stage 3, the full National Curriculum is delivered. The Music curriculum is organised into units where a different topic is studied. Each topic builds on prior knowledge allowing connections to be made and enables knowledge to be transferable. In Music we believe this facilitates deeper comprehension. The topics content taught is chosen so lessons focus on developing deeper understanding and capacity for skilful performance.

At Key Stage 4, the full Pearson BTEC Level 1/2 First Award in Music is delivered. Content is structured into units. We do not ‘teach to the test.’ The curriculum is designed to ensure students acquire knowledge and skills associated with the music industry and working inside it. In this course students explore musical product development and events management. The units allow students to apply knowledge in new and practical industry-related contexts. Each lesson builds on prior learning, allowing connections to be made between content Units have been organised and designed to promote learning and provide depth and breadth of understanding

Student voice has been conducted to ensure that students have a contribution to the curriculum content. This has resulted in more topics in relation to “World Music” being introduced.

The Music Department is a member of the Musical Contexts group and Musical Futures Network and works alongside the School Improvement Partners to quality assure our curriculum and ensure that it provides a high quality and comprehensive curriculum for all.

Pedagogical approach

The pedagogical approach for Music adheres to the LLT Teaching and Learning Policy. Subject specialists deliver the Music curriculum through 50 , 55-minute lessons per fortnight.

Rosenshine and ‘Teach Like a Champion’ strategies are implemented in all lessons and lesson episodes are designed to enable students to store knowledge into the long-term memory.

Lessons

Tasks and activities are engaging and whenever possible are linked to local context, careers and progression and develop cultural capital. Examples include topic such as Reggae, Samba and African Drumming.

Lessons are structured to enable students to review/retrieve prior knowledge and activate it to make connections with new learning. This is through ‘Do It Now’ tasks at the start of each lesson

In each lesson, students are informed what they are learning and what the outcomes for the lesson are. We call these ‘WALT’ (What we are all learning today,) and ‘WILF’ (What I’m Looking For.)

New information is delivered in small steps and models are provided to support student comprehension. For example the use of live demonstrations on a particular instrument or pre-recorded video of the class teacher performing where the steps are broken down in this video to maximise pupil progress and sense of achievement.

Lessons provide opportunities for students to practice applying their new learning. This may include guided and/or independent practice.

Questioning is used to inform adaptive teaching, and this includes techniques such as ‘right is right’ to ensure students accurately and clearly articulate their responses.

Students are asked to complete practical based activities such as rehearsing a given piece of music on a particular instrument and then performing what they have rehearsed to help embed characteristics of a certain style of music and to enhance their rehearsal and performing skills.

Students develop essential knowledge and then apply it in activities that ‘bring it all together.’ This ensures they connect knowledge and learning.

Assessment takes place in the form of formative and summative assessment tasks. These are carefully considered and link directly to the curriculum intent for the half term.

Clear ‘essential knowledge reading’ activities are provided to support reading development and provide depth and breadth to the curriculum. These are set as a homework and are related to the topic the pupils are studying currently.

Literacy

In Music, teachers:

Clearly communicate their subject discipline using appropriate vocabulary. This includes the use of command words, vocabulary lists, Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary.

Music reading materials are carefully selected to develop reading and comprehension skills. The Music department teach reading comprehension strategies through the use of knowledge organisers. We provide support for students so they can access challenging texts such as “A History of Western Music” or other reference books we have available in the department.

In Music we provide opportunities for students to ‘bring together’ knowledge developed. This is through extended writing tasks, practical demonstrations or end of unit tests.

To develop oracy the Music department uses:

• Class discussions
• Think, pair, share activities
• Peer feedback opportunities after a performance.