• Hours taught per fortnight (KS3): 2
• Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 5

The Music curriculum exposes students to a wide range of musical instruments and styles in order to engender a passion for musical performance. Over time, students are supported to specialise and progress on an instrument of their choice through engagement with a range of instruments including piano, voice, ukulele, guitar, bass, percussion and drum-kit. Instrument carousels at KS3 expose students to the fundamentals of the instruments whilst developing the essential skill of reading tablature and staff notation. Students perform as both a soloist and a member of an ensemble throughout the curriculum and are provided with frequent opportunities to develop their confidence in performing to an audience. In each unit, students are exposed to a diverse range of musical genres so that they can appreciate and listen to music from the western canon and the wider world. In addition to the extensive range of performing opportunities, exploration of composition on both acoustic instruments and technology provides opportunities to review, refine and develop musical ideas through an organic practical process. Various software are used to develop and expand on compositional ideas throughout the curriculum, including engraving, sequencing, and manipulation of sound to create new works that explore the extensive capabilities of the computer as an instrument. Informal learning provides autonomy for both solo and ensemble work guiding projects such as battle of the bands, live music performance and the Year 10 gig where students gain an understanding of theoretical and contextual issues relating to musical style, audience and the music industry itself. A wide range of enrichment opportunities support the curriculum to provide students with the skill set required to be able to perform and record music in a professional capacity.