Key Stage 3
The Music National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 is delivered through six units of study in each of years 7 and 8 as follows:
Year 7
- Unit 1: The Elements of Music
- Unit 2: Stage Musicals
- Unit 3: The History of Western Music
- Unit 4: Music from Around the World – India
- Unit 5: Music from Around the World – Africa
- Unit 6: Music for Special Occasions
Year 8
- Unit 1: The Elements of Music (revisited)
- Unit 2: Film Music
- Unit 3: The History of Western Music (Revisited)
- Unit 4: Music from Around the World – Indonesia & China
- Unit 5: Blues, Jazz and the Development of Popular Music
- Unit 6: Fifty Years of Popular Music (1940s – 1990s)
Music Learning Journeys (KS3)
Key Stage 5
Pearson BTEC Level 3 in Music Technology
The Music Department offer an accessible and exciting course equivalent to 1.5 A levels taught over two years. Pupils are not required to have studied Music at Key Stage 4 in order to access this course. However, it would be helpful if they have some prior knowledge in music/music technology.
The course centres around seven components: Recording Studio; Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and The Music Industry.
The qualification offers students the opportunity to develop their musical and technical skills through a process of self-evaluation, practice and review as they start to build their own personal audio portfolio in preparation for Higher Education and/or a career in Music/Music Industry.
The course carries UCAS points and is recognised by higher education providers.
Course Content and Assessment
During the two-year course students will study the following Units:
- UNIT 2: Studio Recording Techniques (Mandatory) Internally assessed
- UNIT 3: Music for Sound & Media (Mandatory) Internally assessed
- UNIT 5: Music Technology in Context (Mandatory) Externally assessed
- UNIT 8: Creative Synthesis & Sampling (Optional) Internally assessed
- UNIT 10: Remixing & Reworking (Optional) Internally assessed
- UNIT 13: Mixing & Mastering Techniques (Optional) Internally assessed
- UNIT 15: Music Investigation (Optional) Internally assessed
- UNIT 16: Commercial Music Production (Optional) Internally assessed
- UNIT 17: Music Technology & Musicianship (Optional) Internally assessed.
Music Learning Journey (KS5)