Music

Music Curriculum Intent

To build on any previous knowledge and skills through performing, composing and listening. They will develop their instrumental and vocal skills and explore how a variety of cultures have shaped a wide range of musical styles and traditions. They will deepen their understanding of ‘how’ by playing with accuracy and expression, improvise and compose using different structures, scales and tonalities, explore a range of notations and develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of key musicians and composers through listening and appraising. Students will develop confidence and resilience as well as self-discipline and teamwork.

Key skills & concepts of learning:

• Develop knowledge and understanding
• Perform, compose and listen to music
• Develop instrumental and vocal skills
• Explore cultures, musical styles and traditions
• Play with accuracy & expression
• Develop confidence, resilience, self-discipline and teamwork

The national curriculum for music aims to ensure that all students:

• perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of the great composers and musicians
• learn to sing and to use their voices, to create and compose music on their own and with others, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, use technology appropriately and have the opportunity to progress to the next level of musical excellence
• understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including through the inter-related dimensions: pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure and appropriate musical notations.

Cockburn School Music Department follows a highly practical approach to lessons, being inspired by Musical Futures pedagogy. Students are involved in listening, singing and performing from day one. Theoretical knowledge is used to support the practical learning. Students learn how to play keyboard, guitar, bass, ukulele and drums and use these skills to play together in ensemble settings. They learn how to use their voices correctly and body percussion. â€‹They also have the chance to use instruments from around the world. In addition to classroom lessons, students have the opportunity to further study an instrument of their choice with our peripatetic teachers. Currently we offer lessons in singing, piano, drums, guitar (including bass), brass and woodwind.

Students have lots of in-house performance opportunities such as lunchtime concerts, assemblies and the annual MADDFest (a celebration of all the Arts subjects in school). There are also opportunities to perform outside of school and festivals and competitions.

2024-25 Curriculum Overview for Music

This gives details for each year group of curriculum content, knowledge/understanding that will be revisited, and assessment for each half term across the academic year.

Peripatetic lessons:
Cockburn Multi-academy Trust offers peripatetic lessons on a wide range of instruments. These have a large impact on the departments, developing the instrumental skills of students but also promoting resilience, confidence and independent learning. These skills not only support extra-curricular activities in the school but also assist students during curricular lessons ensuring progress over time. At KS4, these peripatetic lessons are instrumental to the progress of students in performance.

Lessons are heavily subsidised by the school and in order to be able to do this, students are expected to make progress and contribute to the wider life of the school. The requirements of this and further information are documented in the ‘Peripatetic Agreement’

This document explains the peripatetic agreement fully and attempts to answer any issues that may be raised.

CLICK HERE to view the MAT Peri Agreement 25-26