Translate

Music

The Music department prides itself on being an active and vibrant part of the whole school community, as a result through both curriculum lessons and a broad extended-curriculum we aim to build the musical capacity of all students regardless of their ability.

Home > Departments > Music

The Music department prides itself on being an active and vibrant part of the whole school community, as a result through both curriculum lessons and a broad extended-curriculum we aim to build the musical capacity of all students regardless of their ability.

The Music Department Strives to Enable All Learners To:

  • Develop practical and creative music skills as an individual and through working with others
  • Understand the history and development of music and its role in today’s society
  • Develop an appreciation of the importance of musical cultures
  • Develop students’ confidence, self-expression, creativity and imagination through the performing, composing and appraising of music
  • Develop a range of instrumental skills within the classroom
  • Extend their musical education and experience beyond the boundaries of the classroom
  • Have the opportunity to experience being a part of a group performance, as part of a choir or music ensemble

Department Aims:

  • To have high expectations of all students’ attainment and personal conduct
  • To create an environment where there is an emphasis on success and potential and where all individuals and their achievements are valued and celebrated
  • To develop a broad and balanced curriculum which encompasses a wide range of learning experiences and reflects the needs of the local community
  • To continue to develop policies and systems to enable us to provide the best possible education for students
  • To establish a team spirit amongst all the staff at JRCS and visiting instrumental staff
  • To help promote JRCS in the local community in general and with primary schools
  • To promote the development of outside agencies to develop the wider needs of the musical child
  • To work closely with the Community Music Service and Music Education Hub to enable individual potential to flourish

Music is taught to every student from Year 7 up until the end of Year 9. Various teaching methods are used to introduce, encourage and develop musical experience. We try to let students make music as much as possible. All work is recorded, either on video or as an audio file. All students learn how to evaluate and create music with plenty of opportunity to develop their performance skills.

Our performance, composition and listening activities include music from different national and cultural traditions, including world music, classical music, rock, blues, contemporary and 20th century popular music, music for film and television.

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9

Musical Bridges

Baseline Listening Assessment

The Orchestra – Black History Month Focus

Pentatonic Improvisation through Jazz

Introduction to the 12-bar Blues

The Piano and Female Composers – Black History Month Focus

Pentatonic Improvisation through Jazz

Introduction to the 12-bar Blues

Jazz Performance and the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award – Black History Month Focus
Keyboard Skills Keyboard Skills Sonic Branding and Composing with Technology

Keyboard Skills

World Rhythms

Keyboard Skills

Programme Music

 Rock Music and Guitars
Programme Music Orchestral and Sequenced Film Music Pop Bands, Live Music Events and Music Publishing
Theme and Variation

Right to Write – Film Music

Western Classical Piano Music: Mozart; Beethoven; Chopin

Song Writing

Ground Bass and Remix

Right to Write – Pop Songs
Brazilian Samba Western Classical Piano Music Sequencing Pop Songs

Homework

Music homework is set when relevant to lesson content. This may take the form of some written work, some research, or alternatively, some rehearsal. It is widely accepted that not all homes will have access to some of the instruments we use, however if practical homework is set, pupils are expected to find time during their breaks, or after school to come into the Music department and use the facilities we have here. Students who are learning an instrument are always encouraged and expected to practice in their own time.

At Key Stage 4 we follow the OCR J536 specification, and currently have 27 students in Year 10 and 35 in Year 11. Students are supported through the instrumental provision and during the summer term in Year 9 those students showing an interest in studying music at GCSE level are given the opportunity to start instrumental lessons.

Course Content – Areas of Study

  • My Music: perform a piece on your chosen instrument and compose a piece of your own choice to a brief.
  • The Concerto Through Time: study the development of the concerto from 1650 to 1910. Learn how different composers use musical elements and compositional devices in their concertos.
  • Rhythms of the World: study different styles of music from a range of traditions that include the music of India and Punjab, the Middle East, Africa and South America.
  • Film Music: develop an understanding of how music can be used to create mood, convey stories and enhance action through the study of Film Music. Understand how composers use music dramatically and expressively through a variety of musical elements and compositional devices.
  • Conventions of Pop: Study music from 1950 to the present day, focussing on; Rock ‘n’ Roll of the 1950s and 1960s, Rock Anthems of the 1970s and 1980s, Pop Ballads of the 1970s to 1990s and solo artists from 1990 to the present day.

Skills you will develop include:

  • To become a more informed performer
  • To become a more skilled composer
  • To become a more understanding listener

Assessment

  • 60% coursework
  • 40% final exam

During the course you will prepare two performances and two compositions (together worth 60%).  These will be recorded on CD in the studio, internally assessed and externally moderated.

The final exam is a listening exam (worth 40%) which lasts up to 1 hour 30 minutes.  It will take the form of multiple choice, short answer questions, and structured questions.

Careers and further study

Students gaining grade 9 – 4 could possibly move on to the further study of A/AS level Music or Music Technology and can also progress to study Level 3 BTEC Music.

The study of music uses a variety of skills that can be transferred to many different jobs or professions and it is a stimulating course in its own right!

Homework

All students who receive instrumental or vocal tuition automatically have homework because of their commitment to practising. One third of the marks at GCSE are awarded to performing and many pupils rehearse with others out of school to try to improve their performances. The coursework of the composing area of the exam requires onward-going skills in compositional techniques and a tape to be presented by the examination deadline. Some of this work is completed as homework.

Students will also undertake research and written homework’s at times when this is appropriate.

Waiting for clarification

Feedback in Music

Live Feedback in Class Feedback on Work Seen in Books Marking

Feedback is shared with students during music lessons, using a range of strategies dependent upon the task:

–        Verbal feedback on practical tasks

–        Peer assessment

–        ‘Spotlight checks’ on student work with immediate feedback provided

–        Modelling both best practice and common misconceptions in computer-based compositional work, through projecting students’ work on the whiteboard in real time at KS3 and KS4. This also develops students’ confidence in having others hear their work in development

–        Best practice and common misconceptions shared with students through the use of a bank of statements relevant to specific tasks.  Students are directed to note specific statements in their exercise book.

–        Visualiser used to model best practice and share this with the whole class, where relevant, particularly at KS4.

At KS3, exercise books are used as a tool for students to collate information that will be relevant for revision purposes, to demonstrate their understanding of concepts covered and to log key musical terms and phrases.Verbal feedback on book work will be provided collectively to the class, and at times, written directly into books.

 

At KS3, students will be given the opportunity to write relevant common misconceptions and corrections into their exercise books, based upon end of unit assessments.

 

At KS4, exercise books are used as at KS3, but also to develop their theoretical and analytical skills in music. Teachers will provide timely feedback on common misconceptions in exercise books, as well as students making their own notes when necessary. Formative feedback by way of comments is continually provided in the ‘notes’ section of the software for composing (GarageBand).

 

Correct work in classwork and homework may be acknowledged or ticked to encourage students that staff are actively engaging with their written work.

 

Verbal feedback will begin to link to the assessment language of the school reporting system (emerging, developing, secure etc), as we approach the data entry window at both KS3 and KS4.

 

Practical coursework marks (‘working towards’) will be shared with students at KS4 as they complete significant solo and ensemble performance activities in years 10 and 11, and as they completed composition work towards the end of year 10, mid-way through year 11, and by April of year 11.

 

Practice and mock papers will be marked by teachers and specific guidance given on areas of misconception.

Latest news from Music

Staff from Music

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school office on 020 8270 6222 or contact the Head of Music, Miss J Hurst at jhurst@jorichardson.org.uk