The music curriculum at Key Stage 3 is designed to develop musical skill and enrich pupils’ lives with a love for and fascination of music. Pupils are given opportunities to create at all stages of their KS3 journey. Strands running through each year are taught through interesting and varied topics covering a variety of musical genres, styles and concepts. The curriculum combines performing, composing and listening in an inspiring and an academically challenging way, with no requirement for additional instrumental lessons in order to have success throughout the full course. Composition is taught predominantly through doing, and pupils are introduced to aspects of Music Technology through using sequencing software (Ableton Live), and also more traditional compositional approaches using notation based software (Sibelius).
In Year 7 we establish the building blocks of music, through practical musicianship, singing, solfege and keyboard skills. Additionally, pupils in Year 7 all study a major choral work in the Spring Term, which culminates in a performance at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall.
In Year 8, pupils learn how to write a song, studying a wide range of song styles and compositional skills. As well as continuing to develop their musical skill, pupils learn why and how songs can make you feel excited, heartbroken, scared or just make you want to dance!
The Year 9 curriculum is the perfect stepping stone to GCSE Music, and is inclusive to all pupils with no particular musical specialty needed. Throughout the year, pupils analyse, appraise, perform and create music in a variety of styles. At the end of their KS3 journey they are then ready to step up to GCSE Music.
