Music
| Director of Faculty | Ms A van Veldhuisen |
| a.vanveldhuisen@habstrustsouth.org.uk | |
| Head of Music 2iC (KS4 and KS5) | Mr J Taing |
| j.taing@habstrustsouth.org.uk | |
| Head of Music 2iC (KS3) | Miss I McMichael |
| i.mcmichael@habstrustsouth.org.uk |
Subject Overview
In September 2005 Hatcham College adopted music as its main specialism. The music specialism affects every student, and all students are given the opportunity to benefit from the vibrant music tradition. We aim to ensure that every student sees themselves as a musician by offering an innovative, inclusive, rigorous, practical and broad music curriculum. This includes music technology, instrumental and singing work across all key stages and a specifically designed Band Project for all students at Key Stage 3 that gives them the opportunity to learn instrumental skills on guitar, bass, drums, keys and vocals before forming bands and experiencing the joy of making music together and honing their ensemble skills. All students at Key Stage 3 also learn the fundamentals of music language; basic notation reading, the ability to use musical vocabulary to describe what they hear, and the capacity to create their own original music through compositional practices.
Every student at Key Stage 3 has a music lesson once a week (or once a fortnight in Year 9) as part of the curriculum, and this is the major focus of the Music Department at Hatcham College. We seek to provide appropriate progression routes in Music from Key Stage 3 to 5, enabling all students with a passion for music to access further and higher education, and to fulfil their musical potential in whatever field of music they are interested in. This includes BTEC Level 1/2 Music alongside Music GCSE at Key Stage 4 and RSL Level 3 Music Practitioners and Music A-Level at KS5.
All students have access to the many opportunities that are available through the diverse activities of the Music Department. All students are encouraged to become independent, responsible and creative musicians. We seek to provide opportunities for our students to work with professional practitioners and to watch professionals at work. Recently these have included members of Britten Sinfonia, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the lead from Tina (the Tina Turner musical) the BBC Singers and the world-renowned drummer, Ralph Rolle, coming into school. As well as numerous concerts within school, we look for opportunities to perform outside of school. In recent years, the school choir has performed the Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms, the Lord Mayor’s Show and in April 2020, 57 students were scheduled to be performing 3 concerts in Italy as part of a Music Tour. The annual musical is a highpoint of the year and in 2019 over 100 students took part in 3 sold-out performances of Sister Act at St Catherine’s Church.
Both the Jerningham and Pepys sites are well equipped with two large classrooms and a number of smaller practice rooms. On the Pepys site both classrooms are fully equipped with Mac computers.
Key Stage 4 Overview
We seek to provide appropriate progression routes in Music from Key Stage 3 to 4, enabling all students with a passion for music to access a qualification, and to fulfil their musical potential in whatever field of music they are interested in. This includes RSL Level 2 Music Technology alongside Music GCSE.
Edexcel GCSE Music course aims to help students fulfil their musical potential through performing (30%), composing (30%) and listening and appraising (40%). It is a natural progression from Key Stage 3 and prepares students wishing to study music at A-level.
Students learn how to demonstrate aural perception, musical knowledge and understanding, and develop their performing and communication skills, creativity and teamwork.
For those students more interested in creating through technology and studying more popular music, the BTEC Level 1/2 Music Practice is a vocational course based on coursework, which includes 3 components to be completed over the 2-year course.
Year 10 topics
Listening and appraising:
Star Wars – Williams
Music for a While - Purcell
Defying Gravity - Schwartz
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 - Bach
Release – AfroCelt Sound System
Performance:
Solo performance first draft
Composition:
Free composition first draft
Year 11 topics
Listening and appraising:
Piano Sonata Op 13 ‘Pathetique’ – Beethoven
Killer Queen – Queen
Samba Em Preludio – Esperanza Spalding
Performance:
Solo performance (final)
Ensemble performance
Composition:
Free composition (final)
Brief composition
How is this qualification assessed?
Exam board: Edexcel
Performing (30%) – combined 4 minutes
Solo performance lasting no less than 1 minute (15%) to be recorded in Year 11, externally moderated
Ensemble performance lasting no less than 1 minute (15%) to be recorded in Year 11, externally moderated.
Composing (30%) – combined 3 minutes
Free composition lasting no less than 1 minute (15%) to be completed in Year 11, externally moderated.
Brief composition lasting no less than 1 minutes (15%) set by the exam board and to be completed in Year 11, externally moderated
Listening and appraising (40%)
Exam on 8 set works studied over the 2-year course.
KS4 Homework
Homework comprises daily instrumental practice in preparation for performance component, weekly compositional tasks in preparation for composition component, plus exam-style questions at the end of each set work (every 3 weeks or so).
How is this subject assessed?
Music at Key Stage 3 is largely assessed through performance. This is done at the end of each unit. Throughout the unit (every lesson) videos of ‘work in progress’ are reflected upon to support improvement and showcase student work. Success criteria are shared with all students at the beginning of every unit and exemplars from the previous year played.
At Key Stage 4, performances and compositions are given regular and targeted feedback, based on the exam criteria. Exam-style questions on set works are assessed at the end of each one studied. Success criteria for performances and compositions are shared with all students and exemplars from the previous year played and analysed.
How does this subject fulfil SMSC needs?
We are careful to afford equal value to different musical traditions, styles and cultures. We look to set tasks that reflect the music making in the real world and connect to students’ existing relationships with music. Students are expected, through their music making, to adopt behaviours that foster a community which is resilient, respectful and joyful.
How does the subject challenge more able pupils?
There is no ‘ceiling’ to music making. For every piece of music there are numerous starting points from quite basic to those requiring sophisticated instrumental and compositional skills.
What provision is made for pupils with SEND?
Quality first teaching in all of our lessons places an emphasis on high-quality inclusive teaching that utilises a range of strategies to support the learning of pupils with SEND in the classroom. There are numerous entry points and as there is relatively little written/reading work in music we find this does not act as a barrier for the majority of our SEND students.
Enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities
Please see above.
Useful websites
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/music-2016.html
https://www.musicalfutures.org/resources
