Attributes of a Most Able Learner in Music

We identify our most able musicians using the following criteria. They will:

  • Receive 1:1 or small group instrumental/vocal tuition either in school or out of school
  • Either at ABRSM or equivalent grade 3 or above in year 7 or progressing rapidly through beginner/lower grades
  • A natural sense of pitch and/or rhythm, demonstrated through high quality music performances in class and/or extra-curricular activities
  • A desire to improve and seek out challenging repertoire on their instrument/voice
  • Sustained and rapid progress progress in instrumental/vocal lessons
  • Creative ideas in music lessons for composition and performance
  • An appreciation of a diverse range of music
  • An ability to appraise music using keywords and tier 3 vocabulary (subject specific language)

Learning Outside of the Classroom

Individual or Group Lessons in the following instruments: piano, voice, violin, woodwind, brass, and drum-kit. In addition to this, we have four practice rooms which students can access at break-time, lunch-time and afterschool to practice their performance skills.

Music Lessons with their class will give them opportunities to complete extension or stretch activities so they can further develop musical abilities and have the scope to be creative.

Practical Music Exams such as ABRSM graded music exams and LCM Musical Theatre exams. Learners are entered and paid for by the school.

Extra- Curricular Music Clubs such as the Concert Band, Choir and Rock Bands. These groups perform in our annual Christmas and Summer Concerts and there are other performance opportunities such as assemblies and open evenings.

School Productions which take place annually. These give musicians, especially vocalists and music technology students, an opportunity to gain valuable musical theatre experience.

Sunderland Music Hub also provides students with extra-curricular music clubs, which take place in the Sunderland area. Visit https://sunderlandmusichub.org.uk/make-music for more details.

Recommended Reading List

All Year Groups:
Author: Title:
ABRSM ‘Discovering Music Theory (Grades 1-8)’
Eric Taylor ‘First Steps in Music Theory’
Adam Saunders ‘Theory for Rock and Pop Musicians (Volumes 1 & 2)‘

Eduqas Revision Guides for Key Stage 4
  • Component 1 Performing
  • Component 2 Composing
  • Component 3 Appraising (Listening exam)

 

How We Support Most Able Learners in Lessons

Disciplinary Skill/Knowledge Tailored Support
Read, rehearse and perform from notated music (appropriate to their first instrument)
  • Teaching Gadget quizzes to support and challenge; a bank of notated repertoire that accommodates a range of standards and instrumentations; KS3 resources prepared to incorporate musical notation for every task; opportunities to extend notation skill to include other instruments/disciplines, e.g. drum notation, bass clef, guitar tablature
Adapt own performance to achieve good timing and tuning with other performers
  • Regular demonstrations of the teacher adapting to keep a class in time with each other; support in finding strong beats and emphases within a phrase structure; reinforce an attitude of collaboration which fosters an understanding that musicians get out of time/tune with each other, and can find ways of adapting for the benefit of the ensemble
Recall prior musical learning and use to inform and reinforce new ideas
  • Regular retrieval quizzes/activities; a building-block approach to all musical tasks
Independent rehearsal
  • Time and space given for learners to develop their own rehearsal routines

 

What Can Parents/Carers Do To Support?

Passion for music needs to be supported and nurtured. Children need a space to practice and discover their own musical identity, but also need structured musical time. Parents/carers should encourage learners to attend their weekly music lessons in or out of school, and develop regular practice routines at home.

There are many opportunities for children to experience live music in our area – Durham International Brass Festival, Gateshead’s Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Sunderland’s Fire Station, as well as our regional theatres and other concert halls.

Musical instruments can be purchased VAT-free through the school, in accordance with the UK Government’s assisted musical instrument purchase scheme (https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/vat-government-and-public-bodies/vatgpb7825).

 

Useful Websites

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zmsvr82
(BBC Bitesize (KS3))

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zpf3cdm
(BBC Bitesize (KS4))

https://www.teachinggadget.com
(Teaching Gadget (username music@kepier password music))

https://portal.focusonsound.com
(Focus on Sound)

https://www.musicalfuturesonline.org
(Musical Futures (username kepiermusic password kepiermusic))

https://www.bandlab.com
(BandLab)