Music
The Music Department believes that each pupil has an entitlement to a high-quality music education and that this can be achieved through the provision of a broad and balanced Music curriculum.
Our vision is to “every pupil has access to music and is supported to reach their potential.” We have a thriving peripatetic team from the Barking and Dagenham Music Hub who teach various instruments from the drums, violin, clarinet, trumpet, piano, Guitar and more. The department holds regular concerts and performs at a variety of events outside of school and encourages all our pupils to get involved.
We are passionate about all our pupils experiencing the benefits of taking part in music activities, which starts with year 7 performing in our school Christmas concert. We have worked closely with the Barbican and other music groups to extend learning to our pupils through workshops and trips. Our ensembles range from wind band, choir, drum group, jazz band and pupils leading their own groups in KS4.
We understand the importance of regular contact with home, to fully support pupil progress. The department recognises pupils who are trying to achieve their full potential, using its reward system, which is explained to pupils at the start of each year. We have pupils who are music representatives, and mentors who assist in leading some of our clubs.
Quality of Teaching
The quality of Music teaching will always remain one of the major priorities and focus of the department. We believe that teaching will be good if appropriate opportunities are offered, and if a range of teaching approaches are managed and differentiated. The range of teaching approaches at all levels will include practical work, listening and appraising, consolidation and practice, and collaborative and individual work. We have created a scheme of work that carefully sequences skills taught and introduces new ones to be mastered. This method of revisiting skills ensures that the ones learnt are regularly strengthened, whilst continuing the journey of introducing new ones.
Resources
Each classroom is fully equipped with facilities including a computer, projector, and screen. There is also a fully equipped classroom of 20 keyboards, a dedicated ICT facility for music, a recording studio, 5 practice rooms, DJ decks, guitars and other resources at our disposal for lessons and clubs.
Our fully equipped practice rooms; are used for Peripatetic lessons and for pupils to use during breaks and after school to practise.
Music Curriculum & Results
- The Music curriculum is based upon the department’s scheme of work which ensures that pupils are supported and make good progress. They ensure tasks are accessible from differentiated learning, so pupils make steady progress through the levels. All pupils at Key Stage 3 are taught Music for a single 60-minute lesson each week. GCSE students are taught Music for three 60-minute lessons each week.
- Key Stage 3 -The scheme of work at Key Stage 3 is objective-driven and based on a framework. All units are assessed, and the marks are recorded each term. Homework is set regularly to all pupils.
- Key Stage 4 - The department at Key Stage 4 follows the OCR modular syllabus at GCSE. A scheme of work has been developed and implemented.
Parents and pupils can access their work and find out information for instrument lessons and other useful information at ecs-music.com
