Curriculum Statement for Music

Music Curriculum Update 2021

MUSIC

Subject Leader – Mrs S Du Toit

sdt@pewsey-vale.wilts.sch.uk

Music

Music at Pewsey Vale School is a stimulating and vibrant environment where all students are encouraged to perform and compose music irrelevant of their previous musical experience. Different themes are covered throughout the year encompassing three main learning objectives:

• Listen, Appraise and Musical Notation
• Performance
• Composition

At Key Stage Three, Music is taught for a single lesson per week. During these lessons students will be given the opportunity to develop their practical musical ability using the classroom instruments, electronic keyboards, guitars and ukuleles. Throughout the course they will also learn how to read and understand the basic building blocks of music and apply this knowledge to compose and appraise their own and other students’ work. 

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Assessment
Assessment will take place at the end of each project. Students will be assessed against Key Stage three assessment matrices for Music. During the course of their study, these levels can go up and down depending on the student’s individual ability in each of the three learning areas: Performance, Composition and Listening, Appraise and Notation. Final levels will be based on an aggregate of all three areas. We will always encourage interested students to extend projects beyond the minimum requirement and every lesson will have several worksheets of different difficulty levels available to cater for all abilities.

Click for access to Assessment Matrices

Assessment Matrices

Equipment
Ruler, sharp pencil, rubber and blue or black pen.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Pewsey Vale offers the following peripatetic instrumental lessons: Brass, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Guitar, Drums and Keyboard. These lessons take place during school hours. For more information please contact the Head of Music.

Other extra- curricular activities include a Ukulele Band and School Orchestra. A time table will be made available to all interested students.

GCSE Music
Examination Board: WJEC/ Eduqas
Specification: Music

Specification link

www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music/gcse/eduqas-gcse-music-spec-from-2016-d.pdf

Overview
The course is divided in three components:

Listening and AppraisingPerformance andComposition

Component 1: Listening and Appraising

Students will explore the music elements through listening and analysing music loosely categorised into 4 areas: 1. Musical Form and Devices 2. Music for ensemble (classical quartets, musical theatre, blues and jazz) 3. Film music and 4. Popular Music

The final assessment will take place by writing an externally marked paper counting 40% towards the overall grade.

Component 2: Composition

Students must submit two compositions of at least 2 minutes each. The first composition is a free choice while the examination board will set a composition brief for the second piece. Both compositions must be completed and submitted in May of the examination year for moderation as both pieces are internally assessed. This component counts 30% towards the overall grade.

Component 3: Performance

Students must submit two recorded performances equivalent to Grade 3 ABRSM standard in May of the examination year. One solo a d one Ensemble performance. These performances are internally assessed and moderated. This component counts 30% of the overall grade.

Year 10

Year 11

Assessment
Students are assessed using the exam board assessment sheets. Assessments are reported to parents/carers at intervals during the academic year.

Home Learning
Apart from homework set to reinforce class learning, it is expected of GCSE Music students to practise for at least 30 minutes each day. Although not compulsory, peripatetic instrumental lessons are highly recommended as it is impossible to monitor every student’s practical progress every week.

Useful resources:

Websites:

Youtube for listening exercises

www.eduqas.co.uk/students 

www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music/gcse/#qualSearch

Books, Articles and other Resources:

WJEC/Eduqas GCSE Music: Jan Richards