Music

Music

Year Groups

Careers

At EBS, careers education is a central part of school life. We provide independent, impartial guidance to help students of all ages explore their strengths and passions, and to plan for their future.

From Years 7 – 9 the focus is on career exploration, and students do this through our online platform Unifrog, which helps to identify skills and career interests. We also work with employers, training providers and local colleges to offer real-world experiences. All students complete work experience from Year 10 and meet with our independent Careers Advisor.

Careers Education

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If you require any further information about the curriculum we are following in this subject, please click here to contact the Head of Faculty/Department.

Course ID

N/A

Faculty

Expressive Arts

Department

Music

Level

Key Stage 3

Head of Faculty

K. Eustace

Head of Department

R. Gough

Key Stage 3 Music

Course Overview

Our Key Stage 3 (KS3) Music curriculum is underpinned by the three core strands of musical learning: performing, composing and listening. Students develop the skills to perform with confidence, compose creatively, and understand the theory that supports their musical development.

Students build their ability to read staff notation, understand rhythm and harmony, and use subject-specific vocabulary to talk and write about music in an intelligent and thoughtful way. Progress is assessed through regular formative assessments, including both practical performances and written listening tasks, helping to prepare students for assessment weeks and future study. Through engaging units of work covering a broad range of styles, cultures and historical periods, students develop creativity, resilience and strong ensemble skills while fostering a genuine enjoyment of music.

Lessons provide opportunities for solo and group performance, composition projects, and critical listening activities. Students explore music from different traditions and genres, developing an appreciation of cultural context and musical diversity. By the end of KS3, students are confident performers, imaginative composers and reflective listeners, equipped with the knowledge and skills to continue their musical journey.

Music Development Plan

Course Description

Year 7

Term	Unit of Work	Assessment
Autumn 1	Units 1 and 2. African Music Students learn about musical traditions from West Africa including instruments, sounds, oral tradition and compositional features. OR: Learn to Play the Keyboard Students learn how to read and perform from treble clef notation and recognise the keys on a keyboard.	Practical Assessment: Students are assessed on their knowledge and application of Djembe drumming techniques, call and response (imitation and question and answer), rhythm cycles, polyrhythmic and homophonic textures and improvisation. Practical Assessment: Students are assessed on their ability to perform using staff notation on keyboards as well as displaying good hand position and use of correct fingering.
Autumn 2	Finish Unit 1 – African Music or Learn to Play the Keyboard. Begin Unit 2 (African Music or Learn to Play the Keyboard) from Autumn 1.	Practical assessment (see above)
Spring 1	Finish Unit 2 from Autumn 2. Begin Units 3 and 4. Melody Writing and Orchestral Families Students are given the opportunity to get creative, composing their own melodies. They will learn about what makes a successful melody and how to write it down. OR: Rhythm Composition and the orchestral percussion family Students will learn how to read, write and recognise basic rhythms including semibreves, minims, crotchets, quavers and semiquavers. They will compose a rhythmic piece which is structured using ternary form and incorporates unison and polyrhythmic textures. They will score their composition using stave notation.	Practical assessment (see above) Practical Assessment: Students will perform the melody they have composed. This will be graded on its success based on melodic shape, articulation and use of tonality. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements. Practical Assessment: Students will perform their group composition which will be assessed on accuracy (how accurately they perform what they have written down) and ensemble skills. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements.
Spring 2 7 Weeks	Continue with Unit 3 from Spring 1.
Summer 1	Finish Unit 3 from Spring 1. Begin the Unit 4 from Spring 1. (Melody Writing or Rhythm).	Practical assessment (see above)
Summer 2	Finish Unit 4 from Summer 1 Begin Unit 5 Reggae Students will learn about the origins of Reggae music and some characteristics of Reggae such as a simple chord sequence, backbeats, simple bass lines and riffs through studying and performing an arrangement of Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’.	Practical assessment (see above) Written assessment – 45 minute as before. Students will perform the chorus of ‘Three Little Birds’ using keyboards. (Not formally assessed).

Students swap rooms after every Unit of Work to allow them to make use of different equipment and resources. For example, one year 7 class will start with ‘African Music’ in room 305 whilst another starts with ‘Learn to Play the Keyboard’ in room 304. They will then swap.

Year 8

Term	Unit of Work	Assessment
Autumn 1	Units 1 and 2 Rhythmic Rondo (Form & Structure) Students will extend their knowledge of rhythm, learning about triplets and dotted rhythms. They will compose a piece in Rondo form, for percussion in small groups using the different rhythms they have learnt. OR: Riffs and Chord Circles Students will work in pairs to compose a TV theme tune made up of melodic riffs and chord circles. They will consolidate their knowledge of major and minor tonality whilst learning to play chord triads on the keyboard. They will also learn about block chords and broken chords. Pupils will also explore different synthesized keyboard voices and accompaniment styles.	Practical Assessment: Students will perform their rhythmic rondo group composition. Practical Assessment: Students will perform their TV theme tunes. They will be awarded marks for correct hand position and fingering as well as the quality of their composition and the variety of ways in which they use chord triads.
Autumn 2	Finish Unit 1 Rhythmic Rondo or Riffs and Chord Circles Begin Unit 2 from Autumn 1.	Practical assessment (see above) Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements.
Spring 1	Finish Unit 2 from the previous half term. Units 3 and 4. Begin Blues Students learn about how Blues music is the root of popular music styles. Pupils write their own blues style songs incorporating methods and characteristics such as the twelve-bar blues chord sequence, left hand vamp, walking bass and improvisation on the blues scale. OR: Popular Music Students will study a brief history of popular music, looking at how pop music has developed through the decades, whilst putting together a class performance of a popular song. The song will have lyrics, a drum groove, a chord circle and a bass riff. Pupils will the importance of working together and coordinating as a team as they develop their ensemble skills.	Practical assessment (see above) Practical Assessment: Students will perform their 12 bar blues compositions. They will be graded on their use of the different elements listed above as well as their keyboard playing skills. Practical Assessment: Students will be assessed on how well they work as part of an ensemble. How well they listen to each other, co-operate with each other and understand the importance of their own part as well as the parts of others within the make-up of the ensemble. They will need to perform with confidence and accuracy.
Spring 2	Continue with unit 3 from Spring 1.
Summer 1	Finish Unit 3 from Spring 1. Begin Unit 4 from Spring 1 (Blues or Pop Music).	Practical assessment (see above)
Summer 2	Finish Unit 4 from Summer 1. Begin Unit 5 – Indian Music Students will explore Indian classical music ragas and talas. They will recognise Indian instruments such as the sitar, bansuri, tambura, tabla and dhol drum. We will also have a brief look at how the fusion of Indian Classical music and western popular music have been used to create genres such as Bhangra and how music is used in the Bollywood film industry.	Practical assessment (see above) Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements. Using different keyboard voice sounds, ukuleles and drums, students will compose an Indian classical style piece, consisting of a drone, raga and tala. (Not formally assessed).

Year 9

Term	Unit of Work	Assessment
Autumn 1	Units 1 and 2 Music for Stage and Screen During this topic, students will add to their knowledge of tonality creating tension and suspense with the use of diminished chords. They will also learn about film music techniques including underscoring, micky-mousing, diegetic music and the use of leitmotifs. OR: Music Fusions Students will study Bhangra, Bob Dylan’s ground-breaking introduction to mixing American folk music with electronic instruments and then do a more in-depth study of ‘Release’ by Afro-Celt Sound System, looking at the fusion of Celtic, African and Techno music styles.	Practical Assessment: Students will compose the soundtrack to an extract of film. The film will be played without sound on the big screen whilst pupils write music to add to the action and mood. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements. Practical Assessment: In small groups, students will create and perform a musical arrangement of ‘Release’ using various parts from the original track. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements.
Autumn 2	Finish Unit 1 Film Music or Fusions. Begin Unit 2 from Autumn 1.	Practical Assessment (see above)
Spring 1	Finish Unit 2. Units 3 and 4 Begin Baroque Music (Pachelbel’s Canon) Students will study the Baroque period of Western Classical music. They will learn about ground bass, basso continuo, and orchestral instruments of the time. They will learn to play a melody from Pachelbel’s Canon and to play as part of a whole-class performance. OR: Song Writing Students will put all their knowledge and skills together to compose their own popular song. They will be divided into small groups and create their own bands. As a band, they will write their own pop songs, each week building up the layers of their songs; lyrics, melody, riff, chord circle drum grooves and bass line.	Practical assessment (see above) Practical Assessment: Students will learn and perform a whole class arrangement of Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’. They will be assessed on accuracy and ensemble skills. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements. Practical Assessment: Students will perform their pop songs as a group. They will be assessed on the strength of each individual layer, the complexity and demand of their part, awareness of others in the group and sense of ensemble. Written Assessment: All students will do a 45 minute written assessment in which they listen to a variety of music and answer questions on the units studied so far, theory questions, music dictation and describing elements.
Spring 2	Continue with Unit 3 from Spring 1.
Summer 1	Finish Unit 3 from Spring 1. Begin the Unit 4 from Spring 1 (Baroque Music or Song Writing).	Practical assessment (see above)
Summer 2	Finish Unit 4 from Summer 1. Begin Unit 5 – Rock Music A brief introduction to Rock n Roll and early Rock music within the history of pop. This links into a set work on ‘Killer Queen’ studied in KS4.	Practical assessment (see above) Students will perform a variety of chord sequences and rock riffs to a rock beat as part of this topic. (Not formally assessed).

Extended Learning

Year 7

Websites	Read	Visit or Watch	Extra
YouTube is useful. Music streaming websites.		Orchestral music, concerts, videos of different types of orchestral instruments being played to help with aural recognition, African music performances.	Practice at home if you have an instrument.

Websites

Read

Visit or Watch

Extra

YouTube is useful.

Music streaming websites.

Orchestral music, concerts, videos of different types of orchestral instruments being played to help with aural recognition, African music performances.

Practice at home if you have an instrument.

Year 8

Websites	Read	Visit or Watch	Extra
YouTube is useful. Music streaming websites.		Orchestral music (identifying instruments and their sonority), Blues music recordings by original artists like Muddy Waters or more modern artists like Aretha Franklin. Pop music, identifying the layers (vocal line, chords, bass line, and riffs or hooks)	Practice at home if you have an instrument.

Websites

Read

Visit or Watch

Extra

YouTube is useful.

Music streaming websites.

Orchestral music (identifying instruments and their sonority), Blues music recordings by original artists like Muddy Waters or more modern artists like Aretha Franklin. Pop music, identifying the layers (vocal line, chords, bass line, and riffs or hooks)

Practice at home if you have an instrument.

Year 9

Websites	Read	Visit or Watch	Extra
YouTube is useful. Music streaming websites.		Baroque music performances (E.g. Vivaldi, Handel, J.S. Bach) film music, fusion music (identify which genres have been combined) orchestral music (identify instruments, who composed the piece, playing techniques). Variety of pop genres, identifying what makes them different.	Practice at home if you have an instrument.

Websites

Read

Visit or Watch

Extra

YouTube is useful.

Music streaming websites.

Baroque music performances (E.g. Vivaldi, Handel, J.S. Bach) film music, fusion music (identify which genres have been combined) orchestral music (identify instruments, who composed the piece, playing techniques). Variety of pop genres, identifying what makes them different.

Practice at home if you have an instrument.

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