“To provide all students with a wide range of practical music making experiences that develop creativity, curiosity, and confidence.”
Unit & Vocabulary Grid
Key Stage 3 music, focuses upon performance, composition and appraising. Students learn to play a variety of instruments in solo and group performance settings. They compose music using both traditional techniques and with specialist software. They learn to analyse music by listening critically to a broad selection of music and express their thoughts using musical vocabulary.
Year 7
Term 1 – Just Play (steps 1-3) |
| The unit is designed to engage students in whole class music making by providing a simple step by step approach that supports the development of instrumental skills on drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and ukulele, using music that students like, recognise and engage with. |
Term 2 – Find Your Voice |
| Find Your Voice is a practical, hands-on, inclusive approach for engaging students with singing through vocal work and the integration of mobile technology. The approach looks at a range of teaching and learning strategies to engage all students with singing in the classroom and to help them feel confident about using their voices and mobile technology to create and explore music. |
Term 3 – Remixing Classical Music |
| Students compose their own piece using samples, mixing organ/orchestral and other sounds using a digital audio workstation [DAW] to become familiar with Bach’s iconic piece Toccata & Fugue in D Minor. They will engage in critical listening by comparing two versions of the piece before moving on to other classical works. |
Year 8
Term 1 – Just Play (steps 4-6) |
| The unit builds on previous work and further develops students instrumental skills on drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, ukulele and the voice, using music that students like, recognise and engage with. |
Term 2 – Composing for film |
| Students investigate how music is used in films to create moods and enhance the viewing experience. They then compose their own piece of music for a short clip from a range of film genres. Their music is digitally merged with the film clip to create a profession end product. |
Term 3 – 1 Drop Reggae |
| Students first learn to play a piece of music within an ensemble. They then learn how to manipulate the musical elements to re-create the piece in a 1-Drop Reggae style. |
Year 9
Term 1 – Just Play (steps 7-9) |
| The unit builds on previous work and further develops students instrumental skills on drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, ukulele and the voice, using music that students like, recognise and engage with. |
Term 2 – Composing to a brief |
| Students compose a piece of music in response to a given brief or set of stimuli. This unit explores the use of the musical elements and how they can be manipulated to create expression in music. |
Term 3 – Personalised Project |
| Students choose from a list of topics in which they can explore and develop their musical skills in a context that they find engaging.
Song Writing GarageBand Project Band Skills |