We work together as an enthusiastic team and promote an environment where all students develop personal responsibility and self-motivation but consider the needs and achievements of others. We achieve this by offering a broad balanced curriculum, which allows students to achieve their maximum potential. Programs of study are differentiated to match the ability, attitude and developmental level of individual pupils.
We strive to stimulate a lasting interest in learning through problem solving and technological activities. We attempt to help students to develop their imaginations, sensitivity and creative responses to a wide range of aesthetic experiences. Technology has an important part to play in helping all students to acquire the knowledge and skills that will be needed for them to take an active role in future developments.
The study of music technology fosters a wide range of desirable qualities, which we value. Students should develop lively enquiring minds, the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves to tasks and physical skills, both on their own and in groups
Our department’s aim is to provide all learners with a stimulating and challenging curriculum, in an encouraging, supportive environment, providing opportunities to develop their musical knowledge and skills including listening and appraising, composing and performing.
The Music Department aims to aid pupils in finding their own star qualities. Pupils take part in music and drama lessons where they are encouraged to develop skills as performers, composers and creators. Work is completed through whole class and group activities, with opportunities for solo work in the projects that are completed. We encourage pupils to take an active role in lessons, supporting them to build their confidence as musicians and actors in each area of the curriculum.
The department also offers a variety of extra-curricular activities for pupils including Peripatetic music lessons on a variety of instruments.
The Music department has high expectations of all pupils and aims to develop creative, resourceful and independent learners and to prepare and equip them for life for when they leave Little Lever School, for further study or employment in a Performing Arts career pathway.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun” Albert Einstein
The National Curriculum aims for all children to:
Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music from a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions, including the works of famous composers and musicians.
Learn to sing, and to use their voices to create and compose music on their own and with others.
Have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, and use music technology appropriately.
Understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated, including a knowledge of pitch, dynamics, tempo, timbre etc.
By the end of KS3 they should be able to:
Play and perform confidently alone and in an ensemble, using their voice and instruments musically, fluently and with accuracy and expression.
Improvise and compose, and extend and develop their musical ideas.
Use musical notations accurately in a range of genres, styles and traditions.
Identify and use dimensions such as tones and scales.
Listen with discrimination to music from a wide range of composers and musicians.
Develop an understanding of the music they perform and listen to, and its history.
Each half term will host a new unit of work. During each of the units of work there will be two assessment points, as well as regular verbal feedback and peer assessment during lessons. The main assessment point will be the final assessment where students are graded from 1-9 in respect of the target grades. The mid unit assessment will give focus of where they are at that point and give non formal feedback on how to ensure they meet their target grades.
All assessments will be uploaded to google drive and will be marked as 1-9 in line with the school assessment criteria. Marksheets can be generated from thisand used for Parent’s Evenings and SIMS marksheets.
Pupils will no longer have booklets and will receive personalised feedback via the googledrive system.