Music
BackMusic at Aylesford School Warwick focusses on the three main disciplines: Performing, Composing and Appraising. These three areas are the pillars in music education that creates the rounded musician.
Learning Journey
Year 7
Through KS3 Music, students will develop a substantive understanding of the core musical elements (rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, texture and timbre) alongside knowledge of Music as a discipline. Students will gain practical performance, composition and listening skills, developing confidence as soloists and ensemble performers.
The curriculum exposes students to a broad and diverse range of musical traditions, including Western classical music, African drumming, Samba, Gamelan and programme music. Students build foundational knowledge of rhythm, notation and performance. This is developed through topics such as Time Flies (rhythm fundamentals), African Drumming and Samba.
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Time Flies - Pulse, rhythm, notation values, tempo, dynamics and texture African Drumming and Samba - African drumming techniques (bass, tone, slap) Pitch Notation - Treble clef notation (FACE/EGBDF) and Keyboard layout/technique Pentatonic Playground - Pentatonic scales and time signatures Gamelan Music - Indonesian Gamelan context and cylic patterns Programme Music - Instruments of the orchestra and music as storytelling |
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Assessment Points In Year 7, students study six topics, each taking one half-term. Each topic ends with an assessment answering a key question. Baseline assessment – Prior knowledge of rhythm, listening and musical elements. Time Flies assessment – Performance and composition African Drumming and Samba assessment – Performance and composition Pitch notation assessment – Performance Pentatonic playground assessment – Composition Gamelan music assessment – Performance Programme music assessment – Composition |
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Vocabulary Pulse Rhythm Tempo Dynamics Pitch Timbre Texture Melody Harmony Structure Ensemble Crotchet Time signature Call and response |
Enrichment
Below is a list of cultural and musical experiences students can engage with to deepen understanding:
Attend live music performances; Christmas concert and Summer concert Participate in school clubs (Music technology club and choir) Use music software (GarageBand, BandLab) for composition practice Instrumental lessons (keyboard, drums, guitar, voice) |
Year 8
Through KS3 Music in Year 8, students deepen their understanding of the core musical elements through more advanced performance, composition and listening activities. Building on Year 7 foundations, students apply their musical knowledge more independently and creatively. They explore a range of contexts, including media music and popular styles, while developing ensemble skills and technical control.
Students engage with genres such as pop, reggae and film music, gaining an understanding of music as a form of expression, communication and culture. Through composing melodies, creating theme tunes, performing in groups and developing extended compositions, students build greater fluency and independence, preparing them for future KS4 study.
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Music in the Media - Features of jingles and theme tunes and use of musical elements to create mood and meaning Duets - Ensemble performance and synchronisation, chord construction and harmonic understanding Melody Writing - composing melodies over chord progressions using composition devices Song Writing - Chord progressions and accompaniment patterns, writing lyrics using rhyme and theme Reggae Music - Key features of reggae and ska, syncopation and offbeat rhythms Final Project - Developing musical ideas from a brief and use of composition devices (sequence, retrograde, imitation) |
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Assessment Points In Year 8, students complete six topic-based assessments, each linked to a key enquiry question. Baseline assessment – Prior knowledge of Year 7 Music in the media assessment – Composition Duets assessment – Performance Melody writing assessment – Composition Song writing assessment – Composition and performance Reggae music assessment – Composition and performance Final project assessment – Composition and performance |
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Vocabulary Tonality Chord Bass clef Sharp Flat Synchronisation Verse Chorus Syncopation Theme tune Reggae |
Enrichment Below is a list of cultural and musical experiences students can engage with to deepen understanding:
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Year 9
In Year 9 Music, students develop greater independence and musical fluency in preparation for KS4 study. The curriculum deepens their understanding of the musical elements through more challenging performance, composition and listening activities, while exploring a range of styles including blues, ragtime, hip-hop, EDM and film music. Through these studies, students gain insight into how music reflects culture, context and purpose.
Practical music-making remains central, with students strengthening instrumental technique and ensemble skills through ukulele performance. Creativity and independent thinking are emphasised through extended composition projects, stylistic writing tasks and responses to musical briefs. By the end of the year, students are able to plan, develop and refine musical ideas confidently, using appropriate musical techniques and vocabulary.
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EDM and Hip-Hop - Key features of hip-hop and EDM (structure, instrumentation, rhythm) Ukulele Skills - Reading tablature and chord charts and ukulele performance technique and chord progressions Blues Music - 12-bar blues structure using I, IV and V chords and walking bass pattern Ragtime Music - Syncopation and ragtime melodic style, vamp accompaniment (bass–chord patterns) Film and game Music - Role of music in representing mood, character and narrative and composing music for scenes and gameplay Final Project - Developing and extending musical ideas from a brief and use of composition devices (sequence, retrograde, imitation) |
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Assessment Points Baseline assessment – Prior knowledge of Year 7 EDM and hip-hop assessment –Composition and performance Ukulele assessment – Performance Blues assessment – Performance Ragtime assessment – Composition Film and game music assessment – Composition Final project assessment – Composition and performance |
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Vocabulary Tablature Ostinato Motif 12-bar blues Loop Interval |
Enrichment Below is a list of cultural and musical experiences students can engage with to deepen understanding:
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Year 10
In Year 10, students begin GCSE Music, developing advanced skills in performance, composition and appraisal through the study of the GCSE Areas of Study. They build secure knowledge of musical elements, scales, harmony and form, applying this understanding to listening, analysis and creative work across a range of styles, including classical, popular, ensemble and film music.
A strong emphasis is placed on independent musicianship as students compose using techniques such as melody writing, harmonisation and music technology, while developing increasing accuracy, expression and technical control in both solo and ensemble performance. By the end of the year, students are able to compose, perform and appraise music with confidence, providing a strong foundation for success in Year 11.
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Autumn 1 - Forms and Devices - Musical elements, scales, chords, intervals and cadences and structural forms (binary, ternary and other forms) Autumn 2 – Forms and devices - Composition devices (e.g. sequence, imitation), aural dictation and AOS 1 set work Spring 1 - Popular Music & Ensemble Music - Features and structure of popular music genres and texture and textural devices in ensemble music Spring 2 - Popular Music & Ensemble Music - Use of music technology in popular music and features of chamber music and musical theatre Summer 1= - Film Music & Popular Music - Musical elements in film music and orchestration and AOS 4 set work Summer 2 - Film Music - Performance techniques in film music and use of musical elements to represent mood and narrative |
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Assessment Points Autumn Term - Forms and devices assessment, free composition and solo performance Spring Term – Popular music and ensemble music assessment, brief composition and ensemble performance Summer Term – Film music and set work assessment, composition and final performance assessment |
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Vocabulary Cadence Aural dictation |
Enrichment Below is a list of cultural and musical experiences students can engage with to deepen understanding:
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Year 11
In Year 11, students consolidate and refine their musical knowledge and skills in preparation for GCSE Music assessments. The curriculum is designed to support the successful completion of performance and composition coursework, with students developing technical control, accuracy and expression in both solo and ensemble performances. They also complete two contrasting compositions, demonstrating independence while applying their understanding of musical elements, structure and stylistic conventions in line with Eduqas assessment criteria.
Once coursework is completed, the focus shifts to revision of all Areas of Study, including set works, film music, ensemble music and popular music. Students strengthen their ability to analyse unfamiliar music, use subject-specific vocabulary accurately and apply effective exam techniques. By the end of the course, they are confident, independent musicians who are well prepared to perform, compose and appraise music successfully in their GCSE assessments.
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Autumn Term - Refining performance and composition skills to meet Eduqas assessment criteria, film and ensemble music, and application of subject-specific vocabulary to analyse set works Spring Term - Consolidation of knowledge across all Areas of Study (forms, devices, ensemble, film and popular music) and application of musical knowledge to exam-style listening and written responses Summer Term - Analysis of unfamiliar music using musical elements and context, development of exam technique, including extended written responses and application of knowledge across all Areas of Study in timed exam conditions |
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Assessment Points Autumn Term - Performance, composition and appraisal assessment checkpoint Spring Term – Performance/composition final submission and appraisal assessment checkpoint Summer Term - Final GCSE Exam |
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Vocabulary Texture Melody Rhythm Harmony Tonality Structure Timbre Dynamics Tempo Instrumentation Sonority Ostinato |
Enrichment Below is a list of cultural and musical experiences students can engage with to deepen understanding:
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