Music

The Team 

Staff Member	Role	Email Address
Emily Rotter	Curriculum Leader for Creative Arts and Music Leader	RotterE@Ursuline.kent.sch.uk

 

Extra-Curricular opportunities in the Music department 

 

There are plenty of opportunities to take part in Music Clubs during Lunch times and after school. Activities that students can join are; 

 

Ursuline College Choir – open to all students 

Ursuline Chapel Choir – invitation only 

String group – open to all string players 

Woodwind group - open to all woodwind players 

Brass Group - open to all brass players 

Guitar club – open to all guitarists 

Band opportunities 

Concert band 

 

All Students are given the opportunity to perform in events termly from the more intimate Cabaret performances to performing in larger events on stage or at a local theatre. 

Peripatetic staff and Instrumental Lessons 

We have a large group of visiting music specialists who come to Ursuline College to teach students in individual or shared lessons.  Currently we are able to offer music lessons in the following; 

Strings – violin, viola and Cello 

Woodwind – Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone 

Brass – Trumpet and Trombone 

Percussion – Drum kit 

Piano  

Guitar – Acoustic and Electric 

Singing 

 

We will endeavour to find a suitable teacher for any student who requests to learn an instrument that isn’t currently listed. 

 

Key Stage 3 

The  Key Stage 3 Music Curriculum aims to build on traditionally popular units and to prepare pupils for GCSE Music specifications.  From the initial Unit, preparing each student with the grounding upon which they can build their knowledge and understanding further, students will Listen, Perform and compose music from different eras of Classical music, various Genres of Popular Music and from many different cultures around the world. 

The key elements; tonality, melody, rhythm, harmony, form and structure, texture, Metre, Rhythm and tempo, timbre and Sonority will be taught through every unit gradually building keywords and music vocabulary. Each Unit will be taught through listening/appraising, singing/performing in whole year/class, small groups and individually and through composition. 

 

	Cycle 1	Cycle 2	Cycle 3	Cycle 4
	Through Listening/appraising, singing/performing in whole year/class, small groups and individually and through composition students will learn:
Year 7	Laying the Foundations in Music    This unit develops pupil’s understanding of the Elements of Music and provides pupils with a foundation of musical vocabulary for use at Key Stage 3.	Keyboard skills     Pupils explore the layout of the keyboard in terms of the keys and their note names and explore how to “read music” in the form of simple melodies from various genres in both the Treble and Bass Clefs.	All about Rhythm    This unit introduces or reintroduces the concept of pulse through a variety of experiences which include pulse games and other rhythmic activities.	Structure and Form    Pupils explore four different musical structures:  Question and Answer Phrases, Binary Form, Ternary Form and Rondo Form. 
Year 8	Sarahan Sounds    This unit explores the main rhythmic musical features and devices used in African Music, particularly the African Drumming tradition of West Africa.  Pupils explore the different African Drum performance techniques and the effect this has on the timbre and sonority of the sounds produced.	Feeling the Blues    This unit develops pupils’ understanding of bass lines and chords as a harmonic foundation upon which a melody can be constructed upon and as a foundation for improvisation. 	Film Music    Students study purpose of film music and the decisions and challenges a composer of film music faces.  Leitmotifs are an important aspect of film music and pupils explore how composers have used these to represent certain characters and situations within films and how, through the manipulation of the elements of music, these can be changed to suit different on-screen situations.	Variations    This unit develops pupils’ ability to recognise, explore and make creative use of the elements of music found in variation form.  Students study a famous theme and explore different musical ways in which this can be varied and developed, using the elements of music and exploring changes in tonality and rhythm.  
Year 9	Computer and Video Game Music    This unit students explore ways in which Character Themes can be developed and changed for different atmospheres and scenarios within computer and video games.  The characteristic musical features of much computer game music: jumping bass lines, staccato articulation, chromatic movement and syncopation are included as musical knowledge through composing and performing tasks.	Hooks and Riffs    Hooks and Riffs explores music based on repeated musical patterns through the genres of Popular Music (Hooks and Riffs) and Music from the Western Classical Tradition (Ostinatos).	Samba    This unit introduces the polyrhythmic style of Latin-American Samba and revises and revisits may key concepts concerning rhythm, beat and pulse from pupil’s learning including features such as polyrhythms, cyclic rhythms, syncopation, ostinato and call and response.	Making Arrangements    In this Unit Students are given the opportunity to explore cover songs and arrangements from other genres.  Students explore ways in which songs and music pieces can be altered and changed using the elements, to create different versions.

 

Key Stage 4 

Exam Board: Eduqas 

Link to Specification: https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music-gcse 

Future Careers:  You will develop the transferable and higher-order skills that are highly regarded by higher education providers and employers.  

 

• Musical Conducting 

• Music Producer 

• Professional Performer TV/Film/Theatre 

• Composing 

• Film Music and Music for TV 

• Music Technology 

• DJ and sequencing 

 

Eduqas GCSE Music offers the opportunity to not only perform and create your own music but also to listen to a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from classical and world music to musicals and popular genres. This course balances practical music-making with listening and understanding and you will enjoy discovering what makes a piece of music unique and gets your toes tapping! 

 • Component 1 – Performing (30%) You will perform one piece as a soloist and one piece as part of an ensemble. Performances take place in the final year of the exam and must last a minimum of 4 minutes in total.  

• Component 2 – Composing (30%) During the course we compose in various styles and learn compositional techniques. Two compositions are completed under controlled conditions and submitted. One composition is to a brief set by the exam board and the other is in the style of your choosing.  

• Component 3 – Appraising (40%) You will listen to a wide variety of music and learn more about how and why it was written and performed.  

There are four different areas of study:  

1. Musical forms and devices  

2. Music for ensemble  

3. Film music  

4. Popular music  

Two pieces will be studied in greater depth:  

· Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Minuet: Mozart 

 · Since You’ve Been Gone: Rainbow  

This area of the subject is assessed by a written listening examination lasting 1 hour 15 minutes in the summer of the Y11. 

	Cycle 1	Cycle 2	Cycle 3	Cycle 4
Year 10	Basic Skills;    AOS1 Musical Forms and Devices  .  Introduction to prepared extract – Eine Kleine Nachmusik:.  SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance     Introducing Composition	AOS4 Popular Music,       Introduction to prepared extract – Since You've been Gone    SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance     Composition	AOS2 Music for Ensemble    SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance      Composition	AOS3 Film Music    SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance      Composition
Year 11	Further AOS 1: Forms and Devices)    Revisit and revision: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik    Further AOS 4: Popular Music     SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance      Composition	Further AOS2 Music for Ensemble     SOLO Performance    Ensemble performance      Composition	Further AOS3 Film Music     Complete all coursework	Listening practice and final examination.

 

Key Stage 5 

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Music Performance (equivalent to 1 A level) 

Exam Board: Pearson 

Link to Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Nationals/Music/2017/Specification 

Future Careers: 

You will develop the transferable and higher-order skills that are highly regarded by higher education providers and employers.  

 

• Musical Conducting 

• Music Producer 

• Professional Performer TV/Film/Theatre 

• Composing 

• Film Music and Music for TV 

• Music Technology 

• DJ and sequencing 

  

 

This 2 year course is an introduction to the study of Music Performance at level three and is for students who aim to progress to higher education and ultimately to employment, in the creative industries. 

Students will develop music projects and gain an understanding of the creative process following the units below. 

UNIT	TITLE
Mandatory
1	Practical Music Theory and Harmony
2	Professional Practice in the Music Industry
3	Ensemble Music Performance
Optional
4	Composing music
5	Music performance session styles
6	Solo Performance
7	Improvising music

  

There will be plenty of opportunities to take part in extracurricular groups within school at lunchtimes or at the end of the school day leading to concerts and performances.  There will also be trips arranged to enhance learning and understanding of the course including working with local musicians. 

	Cycle 1	Cycle 2	Cycle 3	Cycle 4
	SEMESTER 1		SEMESTER 2
Year 12	Practical Music Theory and Harmony  Task preparation and dry run assessments    Professional Practice in the Music Industry  Mock Exam		Practical Music Theory and Harmony  Task preparation and assessments    Professional Practice in the Music Industry  External research and examination
Year 13	Optional Unit    Ensemble Music Performance		Ensemble Music Performance  Activities 1& 2 prep and Examination