Music is studied by all pupils at Orchard Mead Academy, with one hour lessons a week during Key Stage 3.

Music is an option for GCSE during Years 10 and 11.

During KS3 students cover a range of musical areas of study:

  • theory skills
  • keyboard skills
  • composition skills
  • guitar skills
  • vocal skills
  • ensemble/band skills

In Year 7 these skills are introduced, with a focus on building knowledge of the elements of music.

In Year 8 the students develop their skills by studying them within the context of specific musical genres.

In Year 9 the curriculum is tailored to create a pathway into KS4. As a result, students cover a number of the Edexcel GCSE set works, start to develop their own compositions, and begin to focus on a specific instrument in order to develop a performance focus.

Students have 1 hour of Music per week.

  Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 7   Rhythm

Own composition

Composition skills

TV themes

Dr. Who theme

Keyboard skills

Vocal – The Siyabonga Project

Zulu traditional

Vocal skills

Scales and Keys

Major and minor scales

Theory skills

Guitar – Film Themes

James Bond theme

Guitar skills

Queen ‘We will rock you’

Another one bites the dust

Ensemble/band skills

Year 8 Rap

Lose Yourself

Vocal skills

 

Film Themes:

Hedwig’s theme (Harry Potter)

Keyboard skills

Songwriting

Own composition

Composition skills

Dance music

I can’t feel my face

Theory skills

Blues

Johnny B Goode

Guitar skills

Reggae

3 Little Birds

Ensemble/band skills

Year 9   Indian Music Improvisation

Own composition

Composition skills

Orchestral Works &

Instrumentation     Devising

Theory skills

 

Film Themes

Star Wars (Set work)

Keyboard skills

Film Themes

Own composition

Composition skills

Working in a band

Killer Queen (Set work)

Ensemble/band skills

Working in a band

Covers Ensemble/band skills

We offer GCSE music to KS4 students.

Autumn 1 Autumn 2 Spring 1 Spring 2 Summer 1 Summer 2
Year 10 Introduction to GCSE

Vocal Music set works

Free composition exercises and task setting

Vocal Music wider listening

Free composition

Instrumental Music 1700–1820 set works

Free composition

Performing

Instrumental Music 1700–1820 wider listening

Free composition

Performing

Music for Stage and Screen set works

Work on free composition

Performing

Music for Stage and Screen wider listening

Composition briefs

Performing

Year 11 Revision of Year One areas of study

Selection of composition brief

Performing

Fusions set works

Composing to a brief

Performing

Revision of all set works

Complete free composition

Complete composition to a brief

Record Performances

Revision of all set works

Practise wider listening

Submission of Performing and Composing coursework for moderation (by 15th May)

Revision for written examination

For information about enrichment clubs  and revision clubs please visit our clubs page here. 

Websites:

https://www.musictheory.net/

https://www.teoria.com/en/tutorials/

https://tonesavvy.com/

Subject Leader/s

Dr G. Khabra