Curriculum Overview: what students will study
Music: Year 7
In year 7 students will study the following topics
Term 1 – Instruments of the Orchestra
Students will be assessed in the following ways

Students will begin with a baseline assessment to give staff a starting
Students learn about the orchestra, instruments and
how classical and traditional music is performed and
point of students’ skills and needs within music

heard. This will be done through singing in parts,
listening to live orchestras, playing instruments and

Each half term students will complete a series of tasks that will show
staff and sometimes other students. This could be on keyboard,
Students analyse the role of melody within film music.
singing or other instruments

notation and compose to suit moods and films, using
musical elements.

Term 2b – Film Music
The opportunity to compose music to a film scene. They
will use Apple Mac software to create their own music.
Term 3 – Blues
The origins of Blues and slavery are studied. Students

Improvise and compose ideas within a given
structure, forming clear ideas by using
different notes and rhythms (Level 4)

In composing, students are assessed on how well the music they
Identify, describe and compare music, using
key words (Level 4)
have created matches what they are trying to convey

Perform with expression (Level 5)
Listening assessments test how well students can identify, describe

Compose using varied devices, such as
and explain sounds in the music heard

Explore how sounds are put together to
show mood (Level 3a)

Performing assessments will involve students playing their work to
Term 2a – Scenes and Soundtracks
They will learn and perform famous theme tunes, learn
(Level 3-4)

evidence for performing, composing and listening/understanding

through singing and playing instruments
Staff will complete formal assessments each half term with an overall
grade
exploring sounds and composing on professional
software.
Across the year, students will learn to

Perform accurate notes and rhythms,
melody, rhythm, chords and structures (Level
Students will also complete extended written tasks to further
5)
evidence the assessment criteria

Explain musical devices (Level 5)
In assessment booklets students complete WWW (what went well)

Learn and perform using varied techniques
and EBI (even better if) evaluations for their own and others’ work
will sing, learn theory/structure, perform various parts,
(Level 6)

compose lyrics and learn to improvise.
Compose using lots of musical elements to
suit the style/mood (Level 6)

Analyse and compare how music reflects the
context (Level 6)
Home learning tasks will include
Term 1- Instruments of the Orchestra
Design a fact sheet about the orchestra, learn lyrics to The Orchestra Song; devise a
How to help your child at home

Melodies learnt in class can be practised at home via bgfl.org/virtualkeyboard or type ‘virtual
keyboard’ into Google. Or, piano apps on tablets/phone are even more efficient because they are
mnemonic for the notes on the stave; learn notes, practise melodies learnt in class
touch screen. Garageband (Apple) or Walkband can be downloaded for free
Term 2 – Film Music
Analyse music using key words; practise melodies learnt in class; rhythm notation

Discuss the opportunity for your child to continue learning/start learning a musical instrument
sheet; learn key words; plan and rehearse compositions

Test your child by listening to him/her sing the lyrics/tell you the notes/play their melody/explain
key words
Term 3 – Blues
Write lyrics using set formula; Q sheet about context; practise chords, bass lines and
improvisation learnt in lessons; learn key words

Ask your child to perform to you after they have practised the melody/lyrics/chords etc learnt in
lessons. This will help to improve confidence and will aid sustained progress in performance work
Curriculum Overview: what students will study
Music: Year 8
In year 7 students will study the following topics
Term 1 – Popular Music
Students will be assessed in the following ways

Staff will complete formal assessments each half term with
Students learn about popular music from the 1950s to the
present day. They will perform songs by singing, playing
an overall grade

keyboard, guitars, drums and will play in a band. They will use
Each half term students will complete a series of tasks that
notes, rhythms and timing (Level 4)

will show evidence for performing, composing and
Apple Mac software to produce their own pop music.
Term 2a – Caribbean Music
Across the year, students will learn to

Perform accurate pieces of music, focusing on
structure, forming clear ideas by using different
listening/understanding

Performing assessments will involve students playing their
Improvise and compose ideas within a given
notes and rhythms (Level 4)

Identify, describe and compare music, using key
The context of Calypso and Reggae is studied. Students will
work to staff and sometimes other students. This could be
sing traditional Caribbean songs, complete listening tasks,
on keyboard, singing or other instruments

Perform with expression (Level 5)
In composing, students are assessed on how well the

Compose using varied devices, such as melody,
learn to play/perform and compose in the style of Caribbean

words (Level 4)
music.
music they have created matches what they are trying to
Term 3 – Song Writing
convey

Explain musical devices (Level 5)
Listening assessments test how well students can identify,

Learn and perform using varied playing
Students will learn how to structure a pop song. More difficult

chords are learned – how they are made up and how to play
them on keyboard/guitar. They will perform songs of their
rhythm, chords and structures (Level 5)
describe and explain sounds in the music heard

choice in bands. Then students will write their own song.
Students will also complete extended written tasks to
techniques (Level 6)

further evidence the assessment criteria

In assessment booklets they will complete WWW (what
the style/mood (Level 6)

went well) and EBI (even better if) evaluations for their own
and others’ work
Compose using lots of musical elements to suit
Analyse, compare and evaluate how music
reflects context (Level 6/7)

Perform and compose extended pieces of music
(Level 7)
Home learning tasks will include
Term 1- Popular Music
How to help your child at home
Play ‘Name That Note!’; Q sheet; practise lyrics to songs;

The ‘Name That Note’ game can be found on www.musicteachers.co.uk/namethatnote
notation worksheets; label guitar diagram; practise chords

Keyboard tasks learnt in class can be practised at home via bgfl.org/virtualkeyboard or type ‘virtual keyboard’ into
Google. Or, piano apps on tablets/phone are even more efficient because they are touch screen. Garageband (Apple) or
learned
Walkband can be downloaded for free
Term 2 – Caribbean Music
Research tasks; rehearse varied performance activities; plan

Test your child by listening to him/her sing the lyrics/tell you the notes/play their melody/explain key words
composition project; rhythm worksheets

Ask your child to perform to you after they have practised the melody/lyrics/chords etc learnt in lessons. This will help to
improve confidence and will aid sustained progress in performance work
Term 3 – Song Writing
Listen to/learn the lyrics and structure to the song chosen;
Learn and practise the chords; write lyrics; learn spellings

Use given sheets as help guides, ensure students are focusing on each key word/note