Click here for the Music Curriculum Map

Content 

Music is taught to all students in their class groups. Lessons focus on the three strands:

• Performing
• Composing
• Focused Listening

Students sing and play pitched percussion instruments, guitar, keyboard and their own specialisms; they compose using a variety of techniques drawn from musical examples of classical, popular experimental and world music; they learn notations and elements of analysis, developing their critical ear. Much of the class work at this level is done in small groups and the Department has first-rate resources.

Year 7 have 2 hours of Music per fortnight. Topics covered are

- Repeating Patterns – including Djembe drumming and chord sequence
- Musical Expression – including Programme Music
- Band Skills

Year 7 have an additional 2 hours per fortnight following an ‘Enrichment’ programme in the Arts, of which Music is a large part. This leads to evening performances at the end
of term 6. Year 8 have 3 hours of Music per fortnight. Topics covered are:

- Film Music (with cross-curricular links to other Arts).
- The Blues
- 20 th Century Art Music – including Impressionism, Abstract Music and Minimalism
- Gamelan
- Song writing
- Band Skills Continued

Year 9 have 2 hours of Music per fortnight. Students follow the Musical Futures scheme, forming their own bands and performing and composing contemporary music. The Musical Futures programme aims to develop the skills students will need to access music in their future, whether or not they choose to pursue it as a GCSE subject in term 6.

Assessment, Marking and Feedback 

In Years 7, 8 and 9, all students have a music log-book which records feedback and targets, including a record of verbal, peer and self-assessment. Classwork, both the final products and the work-in-progress, is given regular feedback which students can record in their books. At the end of each termly unit students assess themselves,
with teacher guidance, in different strands as ‘working towards’, ‘meeting’ or exceeding’ the standard expected (based on them being ‘on track’ for a grade 5/6 or higher at GCSE Music). They reflect on their work and set targets. Teachers also record judgements and highlight skills gained in the logbooks for every project Teachers will moderate assessments of certain units at department meetings. The school Reward System will also be applied as appropriate. For Interim Reviews (IRs) a teacher’s professional judgement will be made over all musical skills to determine whether a student is securely ‘on track’ to meet the standard expected for GCSE (M1/M2), is less secure (M3), is still working towards the expected standard (W) or is exceeding the expected standard (E) and should be aiming for the highest grades.

Assessment grids

Look at how students and teachers assess work here:

Please click here for Year 7 assessment grids

Please click here for Year 8 assessment grids

Please click here for Year 9 assessment grids

Content 

GCSE Music continues the three strands:

• Performing
• Composing
• Listening and Appraising

Performing

Students continue to sing and/or play an instrument and are involved in many performances. For the final assessments in Year 11, students record one solo piece and one group piece.

Composing

Students learn techniques of composing and are encouraged in their creativity. They produce two compositions for assessment, one to a given brief and one free. Each piece is notated, usually using Sibelius software, and is recorded.

Listening and Appraising

There are eight musical set works to study: two each of vocal, instrumental, stage-and-screen and fusion music. The pieces are drawn from classical, popular and world styles. Students become aurally familiar with the pieces and learn about theoretical and contextual aspects. They are encouraged to listen to a variety of music and the final exam includes comparisons of set works with unfamiliar music.

Assessment, Marking and Feedback 

At Key Stage 4, students are assessed against GCSE levels of attainment throughout the course. Students are made aware of the exam board Assessment Objectives and marking schemes for each unit, copies of which they keep in their folders.

PERFORMING: Students take part in two formal performance recording sessions in each of Years 10 and 11. After each, they listen back to their recording and use the GCSE mark scheme to assess the performance, allowing them to establish a full understanding of the criteria. This is second-marked by the teacher so that students know their current performance grade and how to improve their work. Final recordings and assessments are made towards the end of the course.

Please click here for the Edexcel GCSE Performing Mark Scheme

COMPOSING: Initial composition work, which forms preparation for coursework pieces, is given regular verbal feedback. As students complete their coursework compositions they are also given regular verbal feedback with specific reference to the mark scheme. When the piece is nearing completion, students are given a mark sheet showing what mark the piece is likely to achieve and how to improve their work. The Year 10 composition is free; the Year 11 composition is to a set brief provided by Edexcel.

Please click here for the Edexcel GCSE Composing Mark Scheme

LISTENING AND APPRAISING: While students build up their knowledge of music theory and the set works for GCSE they are given regular class tests and exercises to establish their understanding and to allow the teacher to pick up misunderstandings. Students then complete practice exam questions in class and have two major opportunities to simulate the final exam in the Year 10 exam and the Year 11 PPE. These help them identify their weak areas and, using grade boundaries, students can calculate their current ‘working-at’ grade.

The school Reward System is also applied as appropriate.

Specification 

Please click here for the Edexcel GCSE Music (grades 9-1) Quick Guide

Please click here for the Edexcel GCSE Music (grades 9-1) Full specification

Content

At A Level, the same three strands are studied in more depth:

Performing

Students work at their own instrument or voice to a high standard of performance. At the end of the course they will perform a recital of eight minutes of music, solo and/or in ensemble.

Composing

Students will create a composition to a given brief or of their own choosing. The piece will be notated and recorded. In addition, they will complete a techniques paper, usually involving the harmonisation of chorale melodies in the style of Bach.

Listening and Appraising

At A Level there are thirteen set works to study: three each of instrumental, vocal, film, fusion, pop/jazz and ‘new directions’ music. There is a wide variety of styles and emphasis is on detailed analysis and comparison with wider listening. The exam assesses aural, analytical and appraisal skills, in short and longer essay-type answers.

Assessment, Marking and Feedback 

At Key Stage 5, students are assessed against A Level mark schemes during each unit of study and in any terminal pieces by their teacher. Students are made aware of the exam board Assessment Objectives and marking schemes for each unit, copies of which they keep in their folders.

PERFORMING: Class performances are given regular verbal feedback with specific reference to the mark scheme. For these formative assessments, students are told their mark by the teacher along with what they can do to improve for their final performance. Descriptors for the top mark bands are given to students to keep in their folders. Edexcel’s Performing mark-scheme can be found in the specification.

COMPOSITION: Students’ first composition in Year 12 is marked against the mark scheme to allow students to know their grade and how to improve their work. Descriptors for the top mark bands are given to students to keep in their folders. As students complete their coursework pieces, they are given verbal feedback with specific reference to the mark scheme on how to improve their piece. For the Techniques (Bach chorale) paper, students complete practice exercises and are given specific feedback in how to improve their work. Edexcel’s Composing mark-scheme can be found in the specification.

LISTENING AND ANALYSIS: As students study the set works they are set practice essay questions which are marked to the exam mark scheme. Students also regularly perform self-assessment and peer-assessment of their essays to allow for a deeper understanding of the mark scheme and how to improve their work. Students regularly complete listening exercises in class which they mark themselves in order to help identify their strengths and weaknesses. As students begin to have a sufficient overview they complete practice listening papers from which they can calculate the grade they are working at and this allows the teacher to identify students’ weak areas.

The school Reward System is also applied as appropriate.

Specification 

Please click here for the Edexcel A Level Music specification

Advice

Performing

• Keep stretching yourself by learning new music on your instrument or voice.
• Practise performing to family or friends to simulate the (perhaps) more stressful experience of recording for the exam.
• Make sure you put expression into your performance!

Composing

• If you are having trouble creating ideas, borrow an idea from a piece you like and change it to make it your own. Recycle a chord sequence or melodic idea and make your own modifications.
• Check the structure of your piece when you are nearly finished. Adding an introduction and coda can make the piece more interesting.
• Don’t forget to add appropriate expression marks to your score.

Listening and Appraising

• Listen to your set works frequently to become familiar with them, sometimes with and sometimes without the score.

Listen to other pieces by the set work composers or their contempories.

Past papers

GCSE: Music sample assessment material and please click here for other assessment material

A Level: Click here for Edexcel A Level Music sample assessment material

Useful external links

Music Theory help (free content)

BBC GCSE Bitesize (good for Music GCSE help and revision)

Potential Careers

Studying Music can lead to exciting careers in:

• Performance (session musician, orchestral musician, singer, soloist, pop band member, show band member, etc.)
• Composition (for film, games, advertising, songwriting, etc.)
• Conducting or Musical Directing
• Sound Engineering
• Club DJ work
• Music Production
• Recording Industry
• Music Therapy
• Stage Management
• Arts Management
• Community Arts Leadership
• Arts Administration
• Instrumental Teaching
• Music Journalism
• Secondary School Music Teaching
• Primary Teaching
• Special School Teaching

People who study music need to be organised, driven, good at working independently, strong collaborative workers and need to be creative, analytical, imaginative and reflective. For these reasons, musicians are in demand in many work sectors including all aspects of business, banking and IT along with many others, so do not think that the study of Music will limit you in the future - it may well have the opposite effect and make you stand out from other applicants!  

Alumni 

Past Highworth students can be found performing with the London Symphony Orchestra, working in the crew for Coldplay and orchestrating music for Rachel Portman, who wrote the film score for the Duchess and The Cider House Rules, as well as in the fields of music therapy and arts administration.

Instrumental lessons 

Individual Lessons

Tuition can be given on any instrument and every year we succeed in encouraging an appreciable number of students to begin learning.  Students may learn individually with a teacher from our team of visiting instrumental experts. Fees are varied and lesson times are on rota – for more information about fees, conditions and availability contact
our Music Administrator, Mrs Kemp at j.kemp@highworth.kent.sch.uk

Currently we have around twenty visiting teachers teaching nearly 200 students piano, voice, guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, various brass instruments and drums.

Group Lesson Project

We offer to Year 7, free of charge, small-group tuition at lunchtime on violin, flute, clarinet or cornet. For more information please contact Mrs Booker g.booker@highworth.kent.sch.uk

Ensembles, Clubs and Activities

Our extensive range of musical ensembles can be found on our extracurricular page here.

Trips and visits

We often take trips to live musical events. Recent trips include taking Year 10 and Year 11 to see the musical Wicked in London (February 2023) and Year 9 watching Oklahoma in London (July 2023). Our musical ensembles also take regular trips including the annual carol singing event at Trafalgar Square, the folk band performing at Tenterden Folk Festival and our Highnotes choir performing in town at Christmas.