The Performing Arts curriculum champions the belief that every student, regardless of background, ability, or circumstance, deserves the opportunity to explore, excel, and express themselves through music and drama. We are committed to nurturing confident, creative individuals by fostering three areas of growth: awareness of Self, World, and The Arts. 

Awareness of Self: Through drama and music, students are encouraged to explore their identity, build empathy, and unlock their creative potential. Learners develop critical soft skills such as collaboration, leadership, and communication, preparing them to become reflective performers and confident contributors to society.  Awareness of the World:  Using music and drama as tools for exploration, students engage with social, cultural, and historical issues. From Brechtian theatre to ensemble work, they examine how the arts challenge perceptions and inspire change.  Awareness of the Arts: By studying influential texts, plays, and musical works, students gain a deep appreciation of artistic expression. We celebrate the richness of the performing arts and aim to grow a thriving cultural centre within our school and wider community.

Based on the Oak National Academy curriculum the aim of our music curriculum is to develop pupils as musicians, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject as a platform for a lifelong connection with music. Through performance, composition and engaged listening, pupils develop their musicianship and experience a diverse range of musicians and styles, enabling them to embrace creativity and expression and build their understanding of and confidence in making music both individually and with others.

Our curriculum has been developed to meet the National Curriculum aims and to address recommendations from the Ofsted music subject report. For example, the report highlights the time needed to develop musical knowledge and skills incrementally: our content is suitably challenging with opportunity to develop quality of ideas and responses. The use of the four-part lesson in our curriculum resources suitably chunks content within lessons. The report also highlights the importance of providing high-quality musical responses and ensuring that feedback develops both technical and expressive aspects of musicianship. In our curriculum, modelling is used to share a clear picture of practical, expressive and creative outcomes to support both student understanding and teacher assessment. For example, the year 7 unit ‘Keyboard fundamentals’ the lesson teaches both the technical competencies required to play the melody of Ode to Joy as well as introducing expressive considerations like dynamics and phrasing. As recommended in the Model Music Curriculum, singing, listening, composing and performing are key elements of our curriculum.

The curriculum is organised around the following big ideas:

• Group singing and solfege

• Expressive elements

• Instrumental fluency

• Rhythm

• Drum grooves

• Improvisation

• Composition and song writing

• Harmony

• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

These big ideas are woven throughout the curriculum to provide continuity and depth. Most units explore the main practical musical elements of performance and composition, however some of the big ideas link directly to a unit where skills, concepts or understanding are a particular focus. Listening to, engaging with and understanding music is integral to all units.

The curriculum uses a variety of notation types including graphic scores, rhythms grids and stave notation. The overall approach is to teach sound before symbol to ensure pupils experience musical learning before notating and repertoire has been carefully chosen to sequence the understanding of notation and promote musical literacy. Western notation is carefully scaffolded and is taught through performance and relevant styles with a focus on its application.

At Key Stage 3 we have made a choice to focus on the keyboard due to its accessibility and versatility. This choice will allow for development of instrumental proficiency in the curriculum time available and it can be used as a compositional tool and when using a digital audio workstation (DAW).

To ensure that our students are exposed to a wide range of musical contexts and styles, in addition to the study pieces mapped into each unit, we have mapped into each half-term a style of music that will be played as part of the year group assemblies. This approach supports cultural literacy, reinforces curriculum content, and fosters a deeper appreciation for music as a form of expression and identity.

Year 7 Music Curriculum

Year 8 Music Curriculum

Year 9 Music Curriculum

At Key Stage 4, our Music curriculum equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to become independent, expressive, and analytical musicians. Building on the strong foundation of composition, theory, and performance developed in KS3, students engage critically with music through the three core GCSE components: performance, composition, and appraising. They deepen their understanding of musical elements, rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, tone and dynamics, as they create original compositions to a set brief, perform with fluency and expression, and analyse a range of musical styles and set works.

The curriculum is structured to allow for progressive skill development, beginning with a strong theoretical foundation and moving towards refined, exam-ready outcomes. Students engage with the AQA set works and unfamiliar listening, while also developing the ability to interpret and perform as soloists and ensemble members. Through both coursework and listening practice, they grow into confident, expressive musicians who can think critically, collaborate effectively, and take ownership of their musical journey. Students are expected to take increasing ownership of their progress by rehearsing independently, attending peripatetic lessons, and using music technology to support their composition work. Through regular listening and appraising tasks, they develop their ability to think critically, communicate using musical vocabulary, and apply these skills creatively and confidently.

GCSE Music at Key Stage 4 enables our students to access A-Level Music and BTEC Music Level Three, both of which are on the pathway to university. This could open doors to an array of careers both in and outside of the performing sector. Jobs include session musician, conductor and composer. However, there are also a wide variety of jobs in the music business in related areas such as digital marketing, music technology, audio engineer, music therapy and music producer. 

Year 10 Music Curriculum

Year 11 Music Curriculum