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Music
Our music curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils develop a deep understanding and love of music through a broad and balanced set of topics. Through high-quality, inclusive music education, pupils will gain confidence in performances and be empowered to express themselves creatively, collaborate effectively, and develop a lifelong appreciation for the power and value of music in society. They will learn about and/or how to perform music by iconic composers such as The Beatles, Mozart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bob Marley, and Alan Silvestri. The information learnt and the skills gained open opportunities for students to transfer their knowledge into various areas of the music industry such as: performer, composer, mixing engineer and recording engineer. Throughout, their learning is driven by the six areas of the music national curriculum.
Music at TLA
The music curriculum exposes students to a wide range of styles, genres, classical and contemporary performance practitioners and works. Students explore context, influences, meanings and intent, as well as key techniques, sonic and compositional features of the styles, techniques and genres they explore. The curriculum is sequenced to increase the levels of demand and sophistication both in terms of the analytical and critical understanding of these practitioners’ works, as well as the complexity of core skills acquired and applied to students’ own performances and compositions. Students are exposed to industry standard music software programs as well as a wide range of instruments, playing, creating and recording techniques. Each key stage is sequenced to equip students with the skills and understanding needed for success at the next key stage, into further study or the world of work. We pride ourselves on delivering a vocationally focused curriculum that gives real world examples and applications of musical learning.
We are thrilled to have been recommended by our partners West Sussex Music for a Music Mark of Recognition for Dedication and Improvement in music education.
By accepting this mark of recognition we have pledged to:
- Advocate for the importance of music in the curriculum and creative life of our school.
- Provide equitable, diverse and inclusive music education for every young person.
- Welcome opportunities to broaden our musical horizons by working with our providers in our community and beyond.
We could not be prouder of the dedication of our students and their music teachers.
KS3
At TLA, we do this through exploring three specific pathways - performance, creation and production - that link to the KS4 BTEC qualification in Music Practice. Pupils engage in performing, composing, listening, and appraising through a wide range of musical styles and culture, both historical and contemporary. The curriculum aims to build musical knowledge and skills progressively, enabling students to read notation, understand musical structures, improvise and develop technical control of instruments, voice and professional production software.
KS4
Students will study for the BTEC Tech Award in Music Practice.
The Tech Award gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific applied knowledge and skills through realistic vocational contexts. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance development of key skills that prove learners’ aptitude in music, such as responding to a musical brief using musical skills and techniques processes that underpin effective ways of working in the music sector, such as the development of musical ideas, and using skills and techniques for rehearsal, creation, production and performance to respond to a music brief;
Attitudes that are considered most important in the music sector underpin the programme, including personal management and communication, knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, and processes and attitudes in the sector such as musical skills and styles.
KS5
We aim to develop our key stage five courses to be able to offer two vocational pathways for performers and producers leading directly from our KS4 Music Tech Award.
We are constantly reviewing and developing our music curriculum to lead to more whole school performances and embed more singing/performance and musical enjoyment opportunities. We are aiming to create whole cohort performances from selected schemes of learning for each year group. The first wave of this beginning this academic year. We aim to have this embedded as a regular feature of all KS3 music learning by 2027.
Exam board(s)
KS4 Pearson - BTEC Tech Award in Music Practice
