Music Curriculum Intent Statement

At Maplefields Academy, our intentions in the music curriculum are to give our learners opportunities to develop their cultural capital through learning about a variety of cultures and musical genres. Students will be exposed to a wide range of music, and will analyse and interpret its social influence in society today. This will help to develop students’ understanding and empathy for different cultures, thus building on their communication and teamwork skills.

Students will be given the opportunity to develop their musicianship skills through performing as part of a group, and independently, which will develop their ability to communicate within an ensemble setting. It also provides students with the opportunity to build on listening skills and provide insightful feedback to their fellow musicians. This will help to develop their self-worth and confidence through their ability to perform in front of others, and celebrate their achievements.

Composition is an area of music which students will learn to develop throughout their music education journey here at Maplefields Academy. Students will compose their own music to a brief, using problem-solving skills and creativity to develop as a musician. Students will be able to identify key elements of music theory, and find ways to recreate these in their own music. This provides students with an opportunity to develop the skills of making independent decisions and evaluating them, helping to further develop their resilience and self-worth through accepting mistakes and change.

Students will listen to and appraise a broad spectrum of music from across the centuries, comparing and contrasting these musical styles to the music that we listen to now. A wide variety of famous musicians and composers will be explored to discuss the impact that they had on the music industry as a whole. We will explore the musical elements and interrelated dimensions, including: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure, rhythm, and musical notations.

Music is an inclusive subject that allows all students and teachers to work collaboratively as part of a team, and encourages positive personal development through building confidence, social skills, and musicianship. Our aim is to make music enjoyable and accessible for all, allowing creativity and intellectual curiosity to flourish across the whole curriculum, from Primary all the way through to Post 16 education.

KS1

In Year 1 and Year 2, students will explore music performance and composition. KS1 students will have the opportunity to play the keyboards, and will experiment with different tones and textures. As the year progresses, students will then compose a piece to a theme, listening to a variety of music to gain inspiration and then perform their compositions to their class. Year 1 and 2 students will learn about the music of Africa, and will explore rhythm and beat through playing the Djembe drums, and develop their listening and teamwork skills to perform as a class ensemble. Students will listen to and appraise a wide variety of music from the different decades, identifying the instruments that are being played and discussing the changes in music over the years. Students will also develop their singing skills through learning nursery rhymes. This will help to build confidence in working collaboratively in performance.

KS2

In Lower Key Stage 2, students will begin to look at music from different countries and cultures, and compare them to modern day music. They will also consider how the culture is reflected by the sounds and instruments used. Students will begin to experiment with a variety of pitched percussion instruments, as well as further develop their keyboard skills. Students will increasingly develop their skills to compose soundscapes working as a team to reflect stimuli with sound. Students will also listen to and appraise music, considering empathy and feelings, and how this is reflected within the pieces of music they listen to.

In Upper Key Stage 2, students will continue to develop their instrumental skills when playing pitched percussion instruments, and will also be introduced to the ukulele. Children will continue to develop their singing technique through exploring different genres and musical styles, which will help to develop fluency, confidence, and self-worth. Students will also be given the opportunity to compose to a brief, helping to develop their creativity and independence.

All primary students will be offered a wide variety of music enrichment opportunities, both inside and outside school. These opportunities will help develop their self-worth, creativity, independence and resilience as young and talented musicians.

KS3

In Year 7, students will learn about a variety of musical styles and instruments from different cultures, exploring timbre, pitch, tempo, texture, dynamics, and duration. Students will explore rhythm and pulse through using the African Djembe Drums, learning about the history of this instrument and the impact of call and response. They will then develop their keyboard skills, learning to play scales, arpeggios and chords. Students will have the opportunity to compose their own music on MuseScore and GarageBand, developing their music technology skills and improvisation skills. Students will also develop their ensemble skills through learning to play as part of a band.

In year 8 and 9, students will develop their music theory through creating their own musical composition. Students will learn about musical structures and techniques to create a successful piece of music, using keyboards and other instruments to improvise and be creative musically. Students will explore a wide variety of musical genres and cultures, listening to and appraising a broad spectrum of music by famous musicians. Students will also explore the historical context of musical genres such as blues, pop and rock, identifying how its part in history has influenced the music that we listen to today. Students will continue to develop their ensemble and team working skills through playing as small groups and a class ensemble. For year 9 students choosing music as an option in year 10, there will be opportunities to develop their own personal music practice through selecting repertoire that they would like to challenge themselves to learn, and to develop their rehearsal skills in their chosen instruments.

Students will be given the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of music enrichment activities, including participating in workshops both inside and outside school. There will also be musical trips and further instrument lessons for students to continue to develop their musical skills, even if they do not choose to take music to exam level in KS4.

KS4

Pupils in KS4 have the option to study Music in greater depth, with a view to taking the BTEC National Award/Certificate with the Edexcel examination board. The course incorporates a combination of music industry theory, music performance, composition tasks and individual development, both individually and as a group, allowing students to develop their independence and team working skills. The BTEC award/certificate is made up of 4 modules: The Music Industry, Managing a Music Product, Introducing Music Composition and Introducing Music Performance.

The Music Industry

This unit allows students to gain a clear understanding of how the music industry works through learning about the job roles and the organisations that make up this huge worldwide industry. Students will investigate music organisations and find out the work that they do, and how the different firms collaborate together to make the industry successful. Students will also be given the opportunity to find out about the people who work in these organisations, from performers to people who work in technical, production and administrative roles. This unit is assessed through a 1-hour exam, and students will be given the opportunity to develop their revision skills and exam technique through practice questions and supported learning.

Managing a Music Product

In this unit, students will manage the planning, delivery and promotion of a live concert, CD, or other music product. The success of their music product will rely heavily on the planning and development process, allowing students to develop their speaking, listening, creativity and team working skills. It will also teach the students about the importance of resilience, and understanding roles and responsibilities. Students will consider the different types of audience that may listen to the music product, and will identify successful promotion as a key strategy to effectively engage these audiences. Students will research elements of industry practice, linking back to the music industry unit, and helping to develop their knowledge retrieval. This unit is assessed through coursework assessment, and students will create a portfolio of work to support this.

Introducing Music Composition

Students will explore the different composition techniques within music to help develop their own composition skills. Students will be introduced to a wide range of famous composers and music creators to help inspire their creativity and problem-solving. Students will be given a composition brief to work towards, allowing students to develop a portfolio of ideas. Some of these ideas will be developed, and one will be completed. Students will produce contrasting musical ideas to develop their compositional expertise. Students will then use MuseScore and GarageBand to create their musical compositions, further developing music technology and music theory skills and technique. This unit is assessed through coursework assessment, using the portfolio of ideas and their final composition.

Introducing Music Performance

Over the course of this unit, students will explore rehearsal, instrumental and performance skills to prepare for their final performances. Planning and rehearsing are vital parts of a successful performance, and students will be taught a range of effective rehearsal strategies to aid their performance development. Students will also learn about the importance of time management and preparation time for rehearsals. Students will be able to choose their own repertoire that they would like to perform, considering their musical strengths and the areas that they would like to develop further. Students will also consider their target audiences, and how to keep an audience engaged and excited about their music making. Students will keep a practice log that details their rehearsal plans and schedules, the techniques that they have used, and how they feel they have improved over the duration of the unit. This unit is assessed through a practice log, and a final performance in front of a live audience.