ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC COLLEGE
Educatio
"Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." Plato
Music is a popular subject at All Saints Catholic College. The Music Department is in the heart of the school in new building. There are two large music classrooms with two additional practice rooms and a fully kitted out recording studio. We also have a new Mac suite with 30 Mac computers, each with Logic Pro their own midi keyboard. We also have a large rehearsal space which we share with drama. This room is perfect for rehearsals and our more intimate concerts.
At Key Stage 3, years 8 and 9 students receive one music lesson a week and year 7 receive two lessons a week, one of which is dedicated to singing. The topics they study take a linear approach and are therefore linked to the Curriculum for Music, sufficiently supporting them if they were to choose Music at GCSE or Music technology. KS3 topics include; composing skills such as harmony, rhythm, melody and improvisation, performing through singing and playing as a band and studying genres such as world music, popular music, film music, pentatonic folk music, music technology and western classical music.
In Year 10 Music can be chosen as an option for GCSE where we follow the Edexcel specification. Within this two year course, students will explore a wide variety of music focusing on the following four categories; Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Music for Stage and Screen, and Fusions where they will study 8 set pieces and explore wider listening. As part of their coursework, students will also be introduced to independent composing (using Logic Pro on the Apple Macs) and perform in a solo and ensemble capacity on their chosen instrument.
If students prefer the production side of music rather than the performance side, there is also the choice to take Music Technology as their GCSE. This course is more focused on the production of music, recording, composition and sound manipulation using Logic Pro. This course is on the performance tables and students will receive a formal GCSE after completion. It is entirely coursework based and there are no formal exams.
For pupils wanting to learn an instrument, we do offer heavily subsidised instrumental lessons on the instruments listed below, which take place during the school day.
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Vocal
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Piano
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Guitar
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Bass Guitar
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Drums
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Strings - Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
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Woodwind - Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone
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Brass - Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Tuba
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Steel Pans
Students have the opportunity to take formal exams on their instrument.
The Music Department offers a range of extra-curricular activities. Students who participate in the school’s musical life have a number of opportunities throughout the year to demonstrate their instrumental and singing skills. The occasions when we are proud to perform are: School Concerts, Summer Musical, Christmas Carol Services, School Masses and Assemblies. Our KS3 Choir has also performed outside the school. We have sung during Senior Citizen Parties and Charity Events, and in Residential Homes.
At All Saints Catholic College, we believe that music is an essential part of every child’s holistic development, whether they are interested in taking music for their future career purposes or if they enjoy music for purely recreational reasons, music will help them to become a well-rounded and successful individual. Music teaches students how to rehearse and concentrate for sustained periods of time, how to be resilient when things do not always go to plan, and how to work with a range of different characters. Music has a real presence around the school and is celebrated as both an academic and recreational subject.
Literacy Statement
The Music Department provides opportunities to enhance the writing, reading and oral skills of students through lessons and assessments. Students who are literate in Music can:
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use their speaking and listening skills to help them make progress;
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use subject-specific vocabulary;
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actively explore specific genres, styles and traditions from different times and cultures;
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discriminate, think critically and make connections between different eras in Music and different musical influences;
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identify and explore the different processes and contexts of selected musical genres and styles;
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describe, compare and evaluate different kinds of music using an appropriate musical vocabulary;
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suggest improvements to their own and others’ work, commenting on how the artist’s intentions have been achieved;
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they evaluate how venue, occasion and purpose affect the way music is created, performed and heard;
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refine and improve their work through self and peer assessment.
Click below to view our Music curriculum for each year group.
If you would like to find out more about the Music curriculum, contact our Head of Performing Arts Ms Vojvodic by emailing e.vojvodic@allsaintscc.org.uk
