Music
KS1/2
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
1 | Getting to know you! Singing | Introduction to musical elements 1 | Introduction to musical elements 2 | Introduction to musical elements 3 | Introduction to musical elements 4 | Reflect, Rewind, and Replay Summer concert/ production |
2 | Film music | African music | Folk music | Bhangra | Samba | Reflect, Rewind, and Replay |
3 | Hip-hop | Introduction to the orchestra | Reggae | Vocal Techniques Scat/beatboxing | Ensemble skills | Reflect, Rewind, and Replay |
4 | Blues | Britpop | Programme music | Soul / Motown | Musical theatre | Reflect, Rewind, and Replay |
5 | Rock | Big Band / Swing | Piano music | Opera | Indian raga | Reflect, Rewind, and Replay |
6 | Pop | Jazz | Minimalism | Disco/Funk | Songwriting | Locally agreed topic (eg Year 6 Musical) |
KS3
Year 7 Music Units
- Unit 1: Sub-Saharan West African Music and Samba In this unit, students explore rhythm and note lengths by playing traditional instruments like the West African Djembe drum and Brazilian Samba percussion. Students will work together in pairs and groups to create, compose, and perform their own musical rhythms.
- Unit 2: Minimalism and Music Technology Students will learn about “Minimalism,” a style of music built on repeating patterns and layered musical sounds. They will also learn how to use computer music software to write, change, and arrange their own musical ideas.
Year 8 Music Units
- Unit 1: Reggae Music This unit teaches students about the history of Reggae music from Jamaica and its special rhythm style called “skanking,” where chords are played on the off-beat. Students will practice working as a team to sing and play a famous Reggae song using instruments like the keyboard, guitar, or ukulele.
- Unit 2: Blues Music Students will explore the cultural history of Blues music and learn its famous 12-bar chord pattern and unique musical scale. They will develop their practical skills by rehearsing, inventing their own melodies (improvising), and performing a Blues piece on the keyboard or guitar.
Year 9
Students receive one lesson a week on the following topics:
Autumn 1: Preparing for GCSE – Performance
The aim is to introduce students to the fundamentals of playing in a band. Students will gain an understanding of how to play chords on various instruments.
Students will also gain an understanding of how to play a song as part of a band including various instrumental and ensemble skills. Students will look into the concept of lead sheets, learning how to read from them to perform popular music as a band.
Spring 1: Preparing for GCSE – Composing
The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the fundamentals of composing a piece of popular music. Students will gain an understanding of how to compose musical ideas such as chord sequences and melodic ideas.
Students will also gain an understanding of how to put their ideas into a DAW and how to use technology effectively as a compositional tool. Students will also look at lyric writing and how to write lyrics effectively for a song or rap.
Summer 1: Texture – Using the ‘phonics’ (Indian Music)
The primary aim of this unit is to guide students on a progressive musical journey that bridges traditional Indian classical music with modern production techniques, ultimately leading to the creation of a “Fusion” piece.
Students begin by exploring the spiritual and structural foundations of Raga, learning to identify and perform its three core components: the drone, the rhythm (Taal), and the melody (Raag). As the unit develops, students transition from acoustic performance to digital sequencing, capturing the energetic folk rhythms of Bhangra—specifically the swung Chaal rhythm—using software like Soundtrap.
By the end of the unit, students synthesise these diverse elements by integrating traditional Indian instruments, such as the sitar and tumbi, with Western instruments, textures, and modern production tools, fostering a deep understanding of musical fusion and creative composition.