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Music

‘Music expresses that which cannot be put into words.’

Victor Hugo (writer and human rights activist) 

Music at Bredon Hill Academy encourages an active involvement in music making activities. Through performing, singing and composing pupils have the opportunity to work collectively with others to achieve a common goal.

Through our curriculum, pupils: 

  • are taught instrument specific skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of performing; 
  • are taught to read and interpret relevant musical notation; 
  • create and extend musical ideas of their own. 

We teach and assess our curriculum through our curriculum related expectations:

Year 6 Year 7 Year 8
I can identify one feature of an effective warm-up.  I can identify three features of an effective warm-up. I can explain what makes an effective warm-up. 

I can sing as part of a group with overall good pitching, following a conductor.

I can sing as part of a group in a song with accurate pitching and dynamics.

I can sing the main melody while a harmony is added.

I can identify differences within a range of musical elements (including duration, repetition, texture).

I can identify differences within a range of musical elements (including structure and articulation) and name orchestral instruments heard.

I can describe how musical elements (tempo, texture, dynamics) affect the mood of a piece.

I can identify pitch notes on a treble clef stave.

I can add missing notes or rests to complete a specific number of beats.

I can identify pitch between G to middle C on the bass clef.

I can read and play from staff notation including quavers, semiquavers and pitch when given.

I can read short rhythms at sight, play step-wise pitch notation in the treble clef and three chords in tab notation.

I can read and play musical rhythm at sight, treble clef and given bass clef pitch and move accurately through a given chord progression in tab notation.

I can perform a 4-bar pattern as a group, making relevant dynamic changes.

I can perform 8-bars as a group making relevant tempo and/or dynamic changes.

I can perform at least 8-bars as a group in a piece with several parts, keeping together.

I can perform a simple 4-bar melody with accuracy of pitch and instrumental technique.

I can perform a simple melody (of at least 8-bars) in time to a beat using mostly white notes and three chords on the ukulele, with only some hesitation.

I can perform rhythmically simple music using white and black notes, in time to a beat and I can move fluently between three chords on ukulele.

I can compose a 4-bar 'question' and 'answer' melody, using the pentatonic scale.

I can compose a 4-bar melody with balanced phrases in a major or minor key.

I can compose two contrasting rhythmic/melodic sections of at least 4 bars each, including a wider variety of rhythmical patterns.

I can compose a 4-bar pattern with rhythmical repetition.

I can include rhythmic variety in my composition.

I can create a repeating bassline to support melodic lines.

I can improvise from a given 'question' to develop a suitable 'answer'. I can improvise my own question and answer melody that has a sense of shape. I can improvise a melody that is rhythmically interesting with shape and direction.

Curriculum Overview 

Year 6 

Content 

Skills 

Read It - Rhythm Notation  

Understand about rhythm and pulse, the difference of performance and composition and how music can be organised. Reading musical rhythm notation; sound and silence. 

Identify rhythm notes and rests. Differentiate between rhythm and pulse. Compose and perform repeating rhythm patterns on untuned percussion. Perform and compose in a round. 

Read It - Pitch Notation  

Understanding of musical pitch. Rhythm and pitch notation. The pentatonic scale.  

Identify musical pitch. Explore the sound of pentatonic scales. Compose own melodic phrases using rhythm and pitch.  

Keyboard Skills  

Development of rhythm and pitch notation. Keyboard performance skills. 

Perform a four-bar melodic phrase on the keyboards using correct hand and finger positions. Perform a simple left-hand accompaniment. 

Musical Traditions - Folk Music  

Understand the textural layers and structure in Folk Music. Understand about an accompaniment and the sound of folk musical instruments. Pitch and rhythm notation. 

Develop keyboard performing selecting a suitable Folk timbre. Singing of Folk songs. Use different forms of accompaniments to accompany folk songs in different ways. Arrange a given Folk song. Identify folk musical instruments by sight and sound. 

Programme Music  

Learn how composers have created descriptive music using orchestral instruments. The importance of timbre. How elements of music can be used to represent the characteristics of animals. 

Perform melodies following musical notation of rhythm and pitch. Identify orchestral musical instruments when listening and describe music using the musical elements. Compose a piece of programme music.  

Ternary Project  

Demonstrate understanding and skills of musical notation, performing on an instrument, composing melodies and ensemble singing. 

Performing and composing project based upon Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’. Perform a song as a class. 

 

Year 7

Content 

Skills 

I’ve Got Rhythm  

Revision of pulse and rhythm notation. Extend knowledge to include dotted notes and time signatures. Understanding of ostinato and repetitive rhythmic textures. 

Develop a feeling for and an awareness of a regular pulse. Perform an 8-bar phrase accurately following musical notation. Perform in time in different time signatures; ¾ and 4/4. Compose rhythmical patterns and notate using musical rhythm notation. 

Keyboard Skills 

Revision of musical stave notation. Revise how a classroom keyboard is used and played. Develop keyboard skills through music that includes dotted notes and white/black notes. Understanding of texture in music.  

Perform melodies in ¾ and 4/4 time. Develop keyboard technique. Perform in pairs music that has a melody and chord pattern. Learn to identify different texture layers in music; melody / chords. 

Form and Structure  

What Form and Structure is in music. About Question and Answer, Binary Form, Ternary Form and Rondo Form in music. Why repetition in music is important. 

Recognise and label differences between music based on different Forms and Structures. Perform and compose melodic phrases in a variety of Forms and Structures. Use musical notation to write down ideas. 

Sonority City – Programme Music  

Revision of the different orchestral sections and instrumental sounds. Revise the elements of music and develop vocabulary linked to timbre/sonority. Develop an understanding of the meaning in the music heard. 

Identify orchestral instruments and describe their timbre. Identify and comment on the use of the elements of music. Compose a piece of programme music to a given brief. 

Variations  

How the elements of music can be used to extend or change an existing melody. Understand variation form as a Form and Structure. 

Identify variation sections in listening. Perform a melodic phrase correctly. Compose stylistically using increasingly complex variations for the given melody. 

Ukulele Skills - Songs from different times and places  

Understand how to correctly hold and strum a ukulele. Understand the sound of different chords. Understand the difference between a major and minor chord sound. Learn to decode notation of ukulele chords.  

Perform the chords of C, F, G7and Am demonstrating correct ukulele instrumental technique. Compose own chord sequence using the chords of C, F, G7, Am. Identify chord patterns in different musical styles. 

 

Year 8

Content 

Skills 

Saharan Sounds  

Learn about cyclic rhythm, polyrhythm and a polyrhythmic texture. Develop an understanding of syncopated rhythms and rhythm grid notation. Learn to perform on a djembe drum. 

Improvise, perform and compose cyclic rhythms using repetition in a polyrhythmic texture. Compose ‘call’ sections in a call and response structure. Use rhythm notation to record ideas. Use correct djembe drum technique. Identify musical elements in a variety of African music.  

Hooks and Riffs  

How music can be based on repeated musical patterns. The difference between hooks, riffs and ostinatos. Consolidating pitch and rhythm notation. 

Performing and singing riff and ostinato patterns. Improvisation skills. Develop ensemble performance.  

What Makes a Good Song?  

Revisit Hooks and Riff patterns. Develop the identification of textural and structural elements in popular song examples. Learn about the musical information given on a lead sheet and conjunct and disjunct melodies. 

Revisit ukulele performing techniques and chord notation. Listen to and identify musical elements in a variety of popular songs. Compose an arrangement of a song from information given on a lead sheet. Developing ensemble performance skills.  

All About the Bass  

About bass clef notation and commonly used bass line patterns. The importance of a bass line for texture and harmony. Introduce primary chords. Explore different bass lines; walking bass lines, arpeggios, broken chords, Alberti bass lines. Explore passing notes. 

Identify musical instruments and voices which use the bass clef. Understand the differences between bass and treble clef notation. Perform bass lines in a variety of musical styles following bass clef notation.  

Dance Music  

Understand the musical features of dance music from different times and places. Why the dance genres use different time signatures and characteristic dance rhythms in their music. How dance music is made up mainly of primary chords. Revision of primary chords and bass line patterns. 

Identify where chords change when listening to dance music. Create the primary chords of I, IV, V in a variety of keys. Compose bass line patterns using primary chords for given melody lines. 

 

Computer and Video Game Music  

The use of music within a range of computer and video games from different times. Consolidation of rhythm and pitch notation, including syncopated rhythms. Development of instrumental performance technique.  

Describe the elements of music heard in computer and video game music. Perform character melodies from known computer and video games. Compose a character motif using features found in computer and video game music. 

 

Additional Learning Opportunities: 

  • Peripatetic lessons in clarinet, drums, flute, guitar, piano, saxophone and violin 
  • School musical 
  • Lunchtime clubs in singing, band practice, rock 
  • Arts’ Evenings 

Useful Links: 

 

Last Updated: June 2023 

 

 

 

Contact Us

Bredon Hill Academy
Elmley Road, Ashton-under-Hill, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 7SW

01386 881426