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Red Kite Learning Trust

Learning at TLA

Music Curriculum

Our Subject Vision

Welcome to the start of your musical journey…

By the time you leave us you will be able to write, play and analyse music. We all learn the piano, starting in Year 7, and there are various opportunities to learn other instruments as well. 

You will be: passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about lots of different types of music. 

We can’t wait to meet you! 


Which qualifications do we offer at KS4?

Eduqas Music GCSE

30% - Performing (playing an instrument) internally assessed coursework 

30% - Composition (writing your own music) internally assessed coursework 

40% - Appraising (listening to and recognising musical features) externally assessed exam 


Where could this subject ultimately take you?

You could be the next big thing! At TLA we believe our students can do anything. 

Sitting in our music classrooms are future song writers, film music composers, sound technicians, and recording artists. 

After completing your GCSE you could go onto studying A Level or BTEC Level 3 Music at sixth form or college, and then on to a music or music technology course at University, or at a conservatoire for example Leeds Conservatoire. Then the sky is the limit! 


What enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities do we offer in Music?

All of our Key Stage 4 students are given a peripatetic lesson free of charge to support them in gaining experience, knowledge and skill in their chosen instrument. This ensures that students build up the confidence necessary to perform well in their performance unit in the GCSE course. 

We have after school music on a Wednesday where pupils can have some extra time using the equipment, composing, and having fun making music! 

We have a yearly Talent Show as well as smaller performance opportunities a couple of times a year, e.g. Christmas showcases. 

There is also the additional opportunity to enrol on extra weekly guitar lessons in KS3 this year, in pairs/groups of 3, for a cost of approximately £50 a term. 


What will students’ study in Music?

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Year 7 is just the start – you will build on any skills you already have, and learn to read music, write songs, play the piano and begin to perform confidently in front of an audience. 

Topics you will learn about include:  

  • Notation: how to read music and play the keyboard 
  • The Blues: advanced keyboard skills – including both hands together chords and Improvisation  
  • Performance Skills: Learning a piano piece accurately and how to use expression in our performance  
  • Melody Writing: how to write our own music 
  • Garageband Skills: how to record and produce music 

Every lesson you will: play an instrument, work with other people and learn something new! 


Year 8

Year 8 is where you begin to learn how your skills fit into the music industry. This helps you to see how you might progress with music as part of your future. 

Topics you will learn about include:  

  • Song Writing: composing your own pop song 
  • Film Music: how the music industry works and how we can apply these skills to our composing, creating a suitable mood in our music 
  • Performance Skills: learning a piano piece accurately and how to use expression in our performance 
  • Genres Project: how to take an existing song and remix this into a different genre 
  • Ensemble Skills: how to arrange a performance as an ensemble 

Every lesson you will: play an instrument, learn how what you’re doing fits into the music industry, and build on your composition skills! 


Year 9

Year 9 is where you build on these skills even further and refine them using more complex pieces of music. 

Topics you will learn about include:  

  • The Blues: how to use advanced keyboard skills and arrange our own piece 
  • Melody writing: how to write a melody in a different key 
  • Performance Skills: how to play and perform a classical piece of music accurately 
  • Hamilton: how musical features are used in musical theatre and how we can recreate a class performance of some of the music 
  • Summative Project: how can you use your knowledge from KS3 for creating a composition of your choice 

At the end of Year 9 you can choose whether to take music into KS4 to gain a qualification. If you don’t choose to do this, you’re still a welcome part of our department, and there will be lots of opportunities for you to continue your love of music by performing and composing. 

Key Stage 4

Year 10 and 11

Throughout Year 10 and 11 pupils refine their performance skills through solo and ensemble performances. This forms 30% of their grade and is recorded in school during Year 11. 

Pupils also refine their composing skills, which again forms 30% of their GCSE grade and is internal coursework. 

To summarise their knowledge, pupils have an exam at the end of Year 11 which has 4 Areas of Study: Musical Forms and Devices, Ensemble Music, Film Music and Popular Music. 

Temple Learning Academy is part of Red Kite Learning Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 7523507, registered office address: Red Kite Office, Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, HG2 9PH

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