Music will ignite a creative spark and develop musicianship through performance, composition and discussion.
Our aim at Beckfoot is to inspire young people to have a life long love of music. We will enable young people to understand and discuss both historical and current approaches to music making, and how music is a product of its time, culture and place in society. We will ignite a love for performing through the study of great composers, their works and performance of various musical styles and develop creativity through the various compositional techniques used in a range of genres.
Music will allow students to express their love of the subject and articulate their opinions as they develop the key skills needed to be a successful musician.
Enrichment
Beckfoot musicians excel at being a part of our wider school community. They develop cultural capital and empathy by taking part in various extra curricular groups that contribute the whole schools wider day-to-day life.
We have a fantastic team of instrumental and vocal staff who offer incredible tuition for our students. Click here to sign up for this incredible opportunity.
Assessment
In years 7, 8 and 9, internal assessments will take place throughout each year to monitor student progress and further inform teaching and learning.
KS4 Specification
Careers
Music creates employment ready young people by developing their confidence, self worth , thinking skills, creativity and empathy/
Music will give them access to a range of qualifications that will allow them to follow their musical passions
Curriculum Overview
| Year | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Elements of music: Students will be able to perform rhythms in time to music, compose using simple rhythmic values, and perform a piece to represent a theme. They will also understand how long quavers, crotchets, minims and semibreves last for. | Gamelan: Introduction to the world of music and pitch as students understand the use of harmony and left hand keyboard parts to play melodies in time with others. Chords: Introduction to accompaniments as students develop their pitch and harmony. They will learn to play chords on the keyboard and ukulele and sign with accurate pitch as a class. | Riffs: Students will understand repeated patterns and rhythmically complex performances, as they receive an introduction to composition. Caribbean: Link to world music as students understand rhythmical parts in both the melody and chords and recognise chromatic melodies. Students will learn to play the Yellow Bird chords in time with the melody. |
| Year 8 | Music and advertising: Students will understand the power of music and its links to the industry as they develop their knowledge of more complex melodic parts. they will then compose their own jingles and underscore. Blues: Students will gain an introduction to improvisation and further composition, while making links to history and the morals of slavery. Introduction to dotted rhythms, triplets and syncopation. | Pop music: Students will be engaged through relatable pieces to make links to the industry. Students will understand more complex chord patterns and work on their own arrangement task to develop their creativity. Film music: Use of popular film motifs to once again develop melodic playing with the addition of more complex chords, students will learn to play the first 16 bars of Pirates of the Caribbean and compose their underscore. | Latin America: Link to world music as students use chords, melody and bass lines together to compose a tango chord sequence. Hip hop: Students will introduced to lyric writing as they understand the impact of music technology. Students will compose their own rap to introduce their crew and discuss a topic important to them. |
| Year 9 | What is music to you? Students will work with Shape of You by Ed Sheeran as inspiration to write their own hook. History of music – Baroque and Classical: A look back at the building blocks of music to understand the importance of the use of chords and their formation on pieces. Students will also discuss historically important pieces. | Grunge and Britpop: Students will look at various instruments as they analyse the impact social developments have had on music. Students will perform Smells like Teen Spirit and Don’t Look Back in Anger. Musicals: Students will be introduced to stage musicals and their history, eventually developing their own rap to fit with the music from Hamilton. | Disco, EDM and Grime: Students will analyse the impact social developments have had on music, as they link between styles and understand the timelines of modern dance music. World music and fusion: Students will fuse together musical styles to compose their own new style. |
| Year 10 | Building blocks of music: Generic music history as students begin to understand GCSE listening and appraising questions and composition techniques. Forms and devices: Intro to forms found in Baroque, classical and romantic periods as they discover the devices used in those areas to support compositions. They will work on their own melody composition. | Music for ensemble: Students will develop their understanding of sonority and texture through the study of Chamber Music, Musical Theatre, Jazz and the Blues. They will work on their own ternary composition. Film Music: Students will develop their understanding of film music focusing on timbre, tone colour and dynamics as they work on their own composition. | Popular music: Students will develop an understanding of popular music focusing on pop, rock, bhangra and fusion to develop their own piece. They will study how composers combine instrumental and vocal forces, and use recording processes and techniques in their music. |
| Year 11 | Revision recap: Students will revisit concepts learnt in Year 10 to develop their exam technique. Africa by Toto: Students will study the piece through analysis focusing on a new element of the piece each week. They will also begin their second key composition based on a brief released in September. | Badinerie by J.S Bach: Students will study the piece through analysis focusing on a new element of the piece each week and continue to work on their composition. Listening practice: Students will practice their wider listening, unfamiliar listening and aural dictation, complete their final composition and prepare for their final performances. | Preparation for final exams. |