Music
Subject intent
Music is an inclusive subject which enables all students to develop confidence and resilience through performance and composition. Our curriculum engages students in active listening, to develop an appreciation and love of music.
The Music curriculum at John Cabot provides acquisition of skills and knowledge over time whilst encouraging students to understand many cultures, varying genres of music and pivotal moments in musical history. The curriculum is sequenced in such a way that students broaden and deepen their knowledge and skills as they move through each year. Our curriculum empowers young people to be independent, creative and enthusiastic musicians, who can appraise, compose and perform music whilst fostering a lifelong love of music.
Link to Music Development plan:
Curriculum plan:
| Year 11 AQA GCSE | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
| Listening practice | Mocking listening exam | Listening practice | Brief composition coursework | Finalise coursework & recordings | Public Listening exam | |
| Section B set pieces recap | Listening practice | Brief composition coursework | Mock listening exam | Exam past papers | ||
| Final draft of Free Composition | Section B set pieces recap | Model Brief Composition programme | Assessed Solo performance (recital) | Public exam preparation | ||
| Brief composition stimulus released | Brief Composition explored | note & score | ||||
| Assessed group performance | ||||||
| Year 10 AQA GCSE | Baseline listening assessment | Developing listening skills | Developing listening skills | Solo Performance recordings | Developing listening skills | Developing listening skills – styles |
| Elements of Music | Begin Free Composition | Free Composition coursework | Free Composition coursework | Section B set pieces | Section B set pieces | |
| Baseline Solo performance | Assessed group performance | Model Free Composition programme | Free Composition finalised first draft | Assessed group performance | ||
| Composition skills workshops | note & score |
Link to KS4 specification:
| Year 9 | Bringing moving image to life | How can music tell my story? | Live Lounge | |||||
| Short composition tasks exploring composition devices | Short composition tasks exploring songwriting techniques | Recap of instrumental / vocals skills | ||||||
| Use of composition devices | Creating chord patterns, bassline, drumbeat, lyrics | Techniques to add expression to performance | ||||||
| Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | ||||||
| Key concepts: tonality, circle of 5ths, modulation, diminished chords, dominant 7th chord, suspensions, leitmotif, silent film, cues, cliches, pedal note, foley sounds, sforzando | Key concepts: lyrics writing to a beat, writing a chord sequence, primary chords, secondary chords, melodies, harmonic rhythm, basslines, drumbeats, chord patterns, sampling, song structure | Key concepts: expression in performance, dynamics, interpretation, cover song, remix, stems, producer, acoustic/electric, structure, middle 8, vers, chorus, bridge, arranging, chords, secondary chords, bass clef, tab, drumbeat, bassline, melody, intervals | ||||||
| Assessment: | Assessment: | Assessment: | ||||||
| Creating a piece of music for moving image using IT | Creating own song using songwriting skills | Creating a cover/remix of a popular song | ||||||
| Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | ||||||
| Year 8 | How has music narrated the struggle for equality? | What makes a great composer? | Glastonbury 2 | |||||
| Short performance tasks | Short performance tasks | Recap of instrumental / vocals skills – develop complexity | ||||||
| Paired/Ensemble performing using the Blues incl. lyric writing | Understanding IT software for arranging & composing | Developing rehearsal skills and ensemble playing | ||||||
| Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | ||||||
| Key concepts: storytelling, 12 bar blues, walking bass, bassline, improvisation, melody, lyric writing, AAB, structure, combining ideas, accidentals, context of Blues music, note values & pitch revisited | Key concepts: Use of chords, primary and secondary chords, arranging skills, use of IT software, bass clef, ground bass, texture in arrangement, structure in arrangement, note values revisited, octave, gender in music | Key concepts: combining parts, chords, bassline, melody, drumbeat, texture, monophonic, melody & accompaniment, articulation, playing techniques (eg. Strumming, pizzicato) | ||||||
| Assessment: | Assessment: | Assessment: | ||||||
| Performing Blues music, creating own Blues song in pairs/groups | Creating an arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon using IT/instruments | Creating a cover version of a popular song in an ensemble | ||||||
| Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | ||||||
| Year 7 | How do we capture the spirit of carnival? | What makes a great composer? | Glastonbury | |||||
| Learning note values & Samba features | Different composers, eras and styles explored | Know and understand instrumental families | ||||||
| Applying understanding of note values & rhythm to Samba performance | Understand pitch & keyboard technique | Learn skills on ‘band’ instruments for ensemble playing | ||||||
| Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | Listening & notation practice | ||||||
| Key concepts: storytelling, 12 bar blues, walking bass, bassline, improvisation, melody, lyric writing, AAB, structure, combining ideas, accidentals, context of Blues music, note values & pitch revisited | Key concepts: time signatures revisited, staff notation, treble clef, pitch, melody shape, keyboard technique, finger exercises, finger position, accompaniment, what is a chord, major/minor, accidentals, tempo, fluency | Key concepts: instrumental families, call & response, melody & accompaniment, chords, drumbeat, vocal technique, ensemble skills, layers, crescendo, diminuendo, forte, piano, structure in songs, arrangement | ||||||
| Assessment: | Assessment: | Assessment: | ||||||
| Samba ensemble performance | Solo keyboard performance | Creating a cover version of a popular song in an ensemble | ||||||
| Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | Listening test – 20 marks | ||||||
