Music
| Name | |
|---|---|
| Subject Team Leader Music | Mrs E Warner |
| Music Teachers | Mrs L Kirkland Mr C Scott |
Music is a creative subject that gives students the opportunity to explore different musical genres through practical exploration and analysis. In Music lessons students gain an aural knowledge of music, engage with creative processes through performance, improvisation and composition, build an understanding of how the musical elements work and develop their fluency in music notation. The subject encourages a broad and lifelong passion for music making and enables students to develop important skills such as teamwork, creativity, communication and critical evaluation.
Please see our learning journey for a visual representation of the curriculum.
Music Mark
We are very proud to announce that The Forest School has been recognised as a Music Mark School, because of our commitment to high quality music education. Click on the Music Mark logo to view the certificate.
We are very lucky here at the Forest School to have a range of very talented instrumental and drama teachers who provide lessons on the following:
LAMDA
Guitar/Bass
Piano
Drum kit
Woodwind
Violin
Brass
Voice
Should you wish your child to begin learning an instrument or taking LAMDA lessons, please click on the following link for further details, prices and to book - https://forms.gle/YXm7U4MUxex7j2a79
Instrumental lessons will take place during the school day and follow a half termly rota, so that no student repeatedly misses the same lesson.
Key Stage 3
Students in KS3 receive one Music lesson per week. During this hour, students begin the lesson with sound, often by analysing music and questioning its key features ready to practically explore the lesson objectives. Once the key concepts for the lesson are shared and discussed, students’ then engage practically with the objectives, perhaps through some individual improvisation, by working in pairs to compose a melody and accompaniment or perhaps by working in a whole class ensemble to perform a piece on the steel pans. Students then regularly perform their work to their peers and to their teacher to receive formative feedback and, where appropriate, are given time to make improvements. At the end of every half term students perform and receive summative assessment feedback, which informs future lessons and supports each student to achieve their very best. As well as singing and using a broad range of instruments within lessons, from ukuleles, to guitars, to a samba band, Music Technology plays an increasingly important role, given its value in opening routes to further study.
Key Stage 4
Music at KS4 is an option subject. Students choosing to study Music at KS4 have five lessons a fortnight. Through these lessons students cover the three components required for the Eduqas GCSE Music examination https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/music-gcse/#tab_overview . In addition, students are given the opportunity to attend concerts, West End shows and workshops in order to deepen their understanding of Music.
Component 1:
30% - Performing -
Total duration of performances: 4-6 minutes
Perform a minimum of two pieces of music of which at least one must be as part of an ensemble performance lasting at least one minute. The other piece/s may be performed either solo and/or as part of an ensemble.
Component 2:
Total duration of compositions: 3-6 minutes
Create two compositions, one of which must respond to a brief set by the exam board and the other in a style of the student’s choice.
Component 3:
40% Appraising - This is a 1 hour 15 minute exam sat at the end of Year 11, for which students will prepare over the course of the two year GCSE. The examination will assess knowledge and understanding of music across four areas of study:
Area of study 1: Musical Forms and Devices
Area of study 2: Music for Ensemble
Area of study 3: Film Music
Area of study 4: Popular Music
Within these areas of study, students will also study two prepared extracts in depth, J.S. Bach’s Badinere and Toto’s Africa.
Enrichment and Extracurricular Activities
The Performing Arts Department regularly arrange theatre visits to the West End and more local concerts. A selection of recent musical productions visited include Matilda, Wicked, Mamma Mia, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We also invite outside musicians and Further Education establishments in to run workshops with our KS4 students.
We run weekly lunchtime clubs for all year groups, including Choir, Band, Samba Band, Ukulele Club, Keyboard Club, Music Technology Club and Rock Band. We host events such as our annual Christmas Concert, Band Night, Drum Off and Summer Concert. We take students to perform at local care homes and to busk at Gatwick Airport to raise money for charity. We put on an annual school show, where in previous years we have performed We Will Rock You, Les Miserables, Billy Elliot, Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat and The Changing Room, to name but a few. All students are encouraged to take part in our school productions, whether that be through acting, as musicians, backstage crew or set or costume design.