Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Academic year that this summary covers | 2024-2025 |
| Date this summary was published | June 2024 |
| Date this summary will be reviewed | July 2025 |
| Name of the school music lead | Bethany Leddie |
| Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different) | Kate Simpson |
| Name of local music hub | Nottingham Music Service |
| Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place) | The Nottingham Music Hub |
This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our pupils across three areas – curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences – and what changes we are planning in future years. This information is to help pupils and parents or carers understand what our school offers and who we work with to support our pupils’ music education.
This is about what we teach in lesson time, how much time is spent teaching music and any music qualifications or awards that pupils can achieve.
- How much time is spent teaching music at KS3?
1 hour per week - What do we teach in lesson time at KS3?
Please see our Road Map for Music and Music Technology for the overview [next section]
Year 7
Aut_The Elements of Music – Find your Voice [MMC: Singing, Listening, Performing]
Students learn what the musical elements are and examples of each. Students complete practical tasks that allow them to further develop their understanding.
Aut_Getting to know Ableton – Instruments of the Orchestra [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students learn the basics of Ableton as a piece of software for composition. Students learn how to use a MIDI keyboard to record in their ideas using orchestral sounds. Students learn the families of instruments and the members of each family. Students learn to identify the different sounds of the instruments and develop their understanding of timbre through practical activities.
Spr_Notation – Ukulele Project [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students learn what notation is and what tablature is. Students learn to read tab and play the tab chords they see on the ukulele.
Spri_Instruments of the Orchestra – Film Music [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students develop their understanding of staff notation to record in leitmotifs into Ableton using the MIDI keyboard. Students choose the instrumental sound that best fits the leitmotif.
Sum_Structure – Performing to a Brief [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students deepen their understanding of structure, focussing on Binary, Ternary and Verse-Chorus form. Students develop their skills in reading notation and motor skills by playing music using these structures.
Sum_Composing to a Brief – Minimalism [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students develop their skills in using Abelton to record in their own ideas. Students learn about a Pentatonic scale and develop their understanding of note lengths. Students create a piece of music based upon a Pentatonic Scale using a MIDI keyboard and Ableton.
Year 8
Aut_Chords and The Blues [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students learn about the history and origins of The Blues. Students develop their understanding of the 12 Bar Blues and chords. Students build on their understanding of structure and develop their motor skills to play chords with accurate technique and timing.
Aut_Hooks and Riffs [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on their understanding of chords and how they are made up through the use of Riffs. Students use computer software to record in Riffs that layer up to create chords when all heard together. Students build on their ability to use computer software to record in using the MIDI keyboard.
Spr_Rhythms of the World – Samba [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students develop their understanding of World Music, focussing on Samba. Students build on their learning of rhythms and are introduced to Polyrhythms. Students perform independent parts as part of a polyrhythmic piece of music and build in their notation reading skills to use the keyboard and play the melodic groove for their Samba piece.
Spr_Beats n Rhymes [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on their understanding of chords and the importance of timing. Students build on their skills in using computer software and recording using the MIDI keyboard. Students develop their skills in editing and using piano roll to quantise. Students will create a backing track to sing or rap over.
Sum_Band Skills [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students build on previous learning by playing chords on the ukulele and keyboard and then working in groups to rehearse the performance as a band. Students develop their collaboration skills, listening, motor and time management skills and in some cases their leading skills.
Sum_Music for Media [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on their previous learning using computer software to record in music. Students develop their skills in sequencing, recording and editing music recorded in using the MIDI keyboard.
Year 9
Aut_Reggae [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students build on previous learning of chords and riffs, to develop their skills in playing off-beat chords, playing riff alongside the chords that is syncopated and playing two parts at the same time. Students develop skills in listening, motor, collaboration and using a variety of rhythms at the same time whilst performing a piece of music in a group.
Aut_Music in Gaming [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on prior learning using computer software to record in using a MIDI keyboard and sequence music from gaming. Students develop their independence to choose sounds that match the intention and develop their listening skills by using a metronome to record in and edit / quantise using piano roll to ensure their music is in time.
Spri_New Directions [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students build on prior learning by developing their understanding of rhythm, cross rhythms and poly rhythms. Students develop their understanding of Minimalism through practical tasks with a focus on notation and rhythm. Students will create their own minimalism piece based on one rhythm and play a piece of minimalist film music from a horror film using staff notation.
Spri_Horror in Film [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on their knowledge and understanding of staff notation and using computer software to record in and sequence two different horror themes using a MIDI keyboard. Students will develop their skills in using a metronome to record in time, and their confidence in using editing and quantising skills in piano roll.
Sum_Performing to a Brief [MMC: Listening, Performing]
Students build on their knowledge and skills about chords. Students develop their skills in playing chords with the correct technique in a variety of different rhythms to play two different songs from Popular Music. Students build on their technique in playing chords fluently throughout a whole song alongside others in their band. Students may also sing and add the Drum Kit into their performance. Skills developed here are independence, motor, listening, collaboration, leadership and time management.
Sum_Composing to a Brief [MMC: Listening, Composing]
Students build on their skills and knowledge of the components that can create successful songs, including musical elements such as structure, rhythm, metre and melody. Students develop their understanding of chord structures, basslines and melodic lines. Students further develop their skills and understanding of using computer software to record in their own ideas using a metronome to keep in time and edit their ideas to meet the intention of the brief. This brief prepares students for KS4 vocational courses.
We have two teaching rooms, a performance room and a composition room. The performance room has 6 tables that can fold away and secured onto the wall, to allow for more space to perform. This room also houses 18 keyboards, 34 sets of headphones, 34 ukuleles and 60 xylophones including a variety of percussion instruments. The other is a music technology suite with 33 PC’s, one per student and at each workstation there is an audio interface, set of headphones and MIDI keyboard. Each PC has Ableton Live Suite 11 installed, for students to use to record in their own ideas, sequence and edit their projects. Students can access their work a specific pathway designed by our IT team that is backed up every 24 hours, to limit the loss of student work.
MMC – Modal Music Curriculum links
By the end of Year 9 all pupils will have completed a listening assessment for each topic and completed a Retrieve activity using audio clips to support their aural development every lesson, therefore all students will have gained an aural knowledge of some of the great musical output of human civilisation. All students will have also had the opportunity every half term at KS3 to engage in creative processes through performance, improvisation and composition. Each topic will enable students to build on their understanding of the musical elements, how they work together and interact in carefully planned out practical tasks. These tasks are scored for each topic using a student friendly assessment system so students are able to articulate what they can do, what they need to improve on and what they can successfully do with confidence. All students in Year 7 -9 will also develop knowledge of a wider range of notation and be able to use this notation to play music or record music using computer software and accessories.
All students develop their skills in singing and playing an instrument as part of whole class and small sub group ensembles in KS3.
Opportunities for pupils outside of the curriculum
Our students are offered the opportunity from the Year 6 transition day, KS3 and Ks4 to sign up for vocal or instrumental tuition. These lessons occur during curriculum time and on rotating timetables. The Nottingham Emmanuel School work alongside our local Nottingham Music Hub and positively engage in links with this charity to support transition and offering access to external music opportunities.
The link to see the offer of instrumental lessons in below:
https://www.emmanuel.nottingham.sch.uk/learning/instrumental-lessons/
Music qualifications offered at KS4 and 5
At The Nottingham Emmanuel School we offer both Vocational and GCSE at KS4 in Music. We also offer Vocational courses at KS5 in Music Technology and Music Performance.
This is about opportunities for pupils to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, and how pupils can make progress in music beyond the core curriculum.
In 2023-2024 we were able to offer a whole school musical, with auditions in September and the show was in March. It involved students from KS3 and 4.
In 2025-2026 we hope to facilitate another whole school music expanding in KS3, 4 and 5.
We offer a NES-singers group who rehearse once a week, a KS3 band, a KS4 band and KS4 drop in sessions every week. As part of these extra-curricular groups, we offer rooms for students to rehearse in and teacher led activities.
Opportunities for pupils outside of the curriculum
Our students are offered the opportunity from the Year 6 transition day and all parents are reminded through WEDUC on a termly basis at KS3 and KS4 to sign up for vocal or instrumental tuition. These lessons occur during curriculum time and are on rotating timetables. The Nottingham Emmanuel School work alongside our local Nottingham Music Hub and positively engage in links with this charity to support transition and offering access to external music opportunities.
Our instrumental teachers are a mix or self-employed or from the Nottingham Music Hub. The list of teachers and what instruments they teach are in the link below from our website. Barriers to accessing instrumental lessons for PP students are removed through subsidising the cost of the lessons using PP funding. In KS3 currently get a subsidy of 25% and students at KS4 gain a subsidy of 50% as students who choose music as a pathway are expected to learn and progress in their instrumental skills.
Vocal teacher – Ms Burgess [16 students]
Guitar teacher – Mr Eno [8 students]
Percussion teacher – Mr Stillwell[12 students]
Strings teacher – Ms McClay [3 students]
Piano and Brass teacher – Mr Reckless [13 students]
Woodwind teacher – Ms Bratby [1 students]
https://www.emmanuel.nottingham.sch.uk/learning/instrumental-lessons/
Students are able to rehearse in the Music Department, in rehearsal spaces or access the Music Tech suite during their lunchtime group. Students have spaced to rehearse individually or in groups. We have strong links with the Nottingham Music Hub and positively engage with activities they offer and support students to access these activities if they wish.
Annually we offer a multitude of showcase events and opportunities for students to perform
Carol Service – December – Free
Winter Soiree – November/December – Cost of £3
Planned rewards trip to the local Pantomime – December [links with Drama, targeted students invited including PP, positive CfL and KS4]
Summer Soiree – June/July – Cost of £3
Whole School Musical – bi-annually [2024, 2026 planned] – Cost of £3 per person
StreetWise Opera workshop at the Nottingham Playhouse – 19th July for KS4 and targeted KS3 students
MishMash Productions workshop for KS4 and KS3 music pathway students – A Nottingham based production company that brings live classical music to young audiences – 23th July on Culture Day
This is about what the school is planning for subsequent years.
Applied to be a Lead School for Music through the Nottingham Music Hub- – June 2024 – NES has been successful at the first stage of this.
Musical experience with inSync planned for November 2024 as a workshop and performance for targeted PP and KS4 students in Music and Drama to access classical music in a practical way.
Working alongside SLT to ensure PP funding remains for instrumental tuition for 2024-2025 for KS3 and 4
Ensuring all instrumental teachers gain access to promotion of their specialist role within AoW, promotional videos and introductions when in school to the curriculum classes being taught.
Rewards trip planned for PP, KS3 positive CfL and KS4 students who have picked Drama or Music as a pathway in December 2024
Christmas in the City – run by the Nottingham Music Hub where our NES-sings will perform in a live music venue and stakeholders are able to pay to be in the audience.
Meadows Sing Festival – Links with the local primary schools to join together and perform a song to the other school in one of our schools. This is a lovely event that happens every year and each year a different school hosts. Students get to visit their old school and perform to their friends and old teachers.
