RFSS Curriculum Vision Statement: 

To build an inclusive curriculum which is aspirational for all and empowers our students to make outstanding academic and personal progress.  

Music Curriculum in Context: 

Our comprehensive music curriculum provides students with invaluable opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and a deep appreciation for music. 

The Music curriculum equips students with the necessary knowledge and skill to study GCSE and A Level Music as well as the Technical Award for Music Technology.  It is designed to develop student’s musical skills and knowledge in line with the expectations of the National Curriculum for music, building on student’s musical experiences at Key Stage 2 and providing them with clear pathway towards Key Stages 4 and 5. 

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In Years 7 and 8, students study various musical genres, (historical, stylistic and cultural) and through these explore, develop and refine their musical skills. Each project focuses on one or more of the 3 subject specific skills, so that over the key stage students will return to these concepts enabling them to build and advance their knowledge and skill set further as they progress through the Key Stages.  

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The music curriculum provides students with the opportunity to learn to play instruments: African Drums, Ukuleles, Pitched and un-pitched percussion and the keyboard. They also have the opportunity to learn a wide range of instruments through the peripatetic music program in partnership with the Warwickshire Music Hub. 

Students are introduced to music technology at key stage 3 and explore its many benefits as a creative tool, as well as deepening their understanding of a variety of musical concepts through a range of software and online applications. 

Curriculum Aims: 

Our curriculum aims to: 

• Empower our students to develop a lifelong love of music. 

• Provide students with the opportunity to study music in a wide variety of musical genres. 

•  Develop students’ understanding of the cultural significance of music in different societies and cultures around the world. 

• Explore how music has developed and changed over time, including how the developments of music technology have impacted music. 

• Provide students with the opportunities to develop their performing skills, by learning to play classroom instruments and providing them with performing opportunities both within and outside of the classroom 

• To inspire our students to explore and create their own musical ideas. 

• Provide students with the opportunity to use music technology to create and record their own music. 

• To explore ways in which music can create emotional responses and tell stories. 

• To develop students’ understanding of the impact of music on our emotional and physical well-being. 

Our broad and balanced curriculum concentrates on developing our students’ key knowledge and skills, and enhances their understanding of the world around them.   

We do this by: 

•  Sequencing learning to enable students to develop musical skills over time 

• Revisiting previous learning, allowing students to build on their knowledge and to create links between different musical topics. 

• Enabling creativity, by supporting to students to create music in a variety of genres through a variety of mediums, including Music Technology. 

• Providing opportunities for students to work both collaboratively and independently,  

• Facilitating students in the development of their communication and presentation skills through performance. 

Our curriculum is focused on the development of communication, character and cultural capital of each individual student, so they become: 

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• Resilient learners who reflect on their work and the work of others in order to make progress 

•  Creative thinkers who can compose music in response to a variety of stimuli 

• Articulate individuals who can explain the impact of music on an audience. 

• Hard-working students who can see the value in practice and can employ rehearsal strategies that enable them to make progress as performers. 

Curriculum Outcome: 

Through participation in our Music Curriculum, RFSS students will enhance their social and emotional development. By undertaking activities such as ensemble performance they will develop their collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills. They will leave school with greater resilience, self-confidence, and self-awareness, all of which are invaluable assets in navigating life beyond school.