“The Music Department is an alternate universe, where pupils are often unrecognisable from who they are outside of it. The shy become confident. The agitated become calm. The lonely become included. The quiet become heard. And the lost become found. Music reveals the Child.”
Vaughan Fleichfresser – 2021
The Kingsmead music curriculum follows a Musical Journey which has been developed to ensure students are building upon prior musical knowledge and skill. The development of the three core disciplines; Performance, Composition and Deliberate Listening have been based on the academic and practical expectations for the GCSE, the Music Model Curriculum and the Governments National plan for Music 2023.
Students will learn through a range of musical medium including; practical skills such as Keyboard, Ukelele and Singing, Musical IT, through the use of notation programmes and DAW – websites are below.
Music education at Kingsmead is divided into three core musical disciplines: Performance, Composition, and Deliberate Listening.
These core disciplines are taught through understanding the Elements of Music and woven together throughout all music topics to provide our students with an evolving development of powerful music knowledge and musical skill.
The transferable skills that are developed throughout the Music curriculum include: leadership, problem solving, teamwork, negotiating, resilience, time management, confidence, social skills and a sense of pride and achievement along with many others.
Students can draw upon their knowledge of music and practical skills throughout the Key Stage 3 Curriculum, both in terms of curriculum lessons, peripatetic lessons and during extra-curricular activities to then extend these skills further through the Music GCSE.
The skills obtained through the music curriculum create a well-rounded student both in terms of musicianship and life skills which give students a holistic experience that they can take beyond their musical studies.
Students can continue Music into KS4 through the GCSE. Students at Kingsmead are studying the EDUQAS Music GCSE. More information for this course can be found here: GCSE Music | Eduqas
Teacher assessed
A minimum of two pieces, lasting a total of 4–6 minutes, recorded in the year of assessment:
Teacher assessed
Two pieces:
Externally assessed examination
Listening examination:
* A set work is a piece of music which everybody has to learn about. There is one short classical piece and one Rock/pop song. You can learn to play/sing parts of them to help you learn the details.
The extra-curricular music programme allows students to further develop and support their musicianship as they progress throughout year 7,8 and 9 into GCSE.
The opportunities available very week are Choir, Band rehearsal spaces, Orchestra (after school), Music Tech Club and a GCSE music lounge where they can get extra support from teachers for coursework etc.
The extra-curricular programme also aims to stretch and challenge students through annual concerts where the expectation is that all musicians develop performance and professionalism skills whilst representing Kingsmead to the wider community.
