Music
BackMusic Curriculum Intent
“Create confident resilient and creative musicians who have the foundation skills and knowledge to allow them to develop their universal musical language.”
We are proud of our thriving and growing department where EVERY student has the opportunity to develop their musical skills. We promote experience in a wide range of musical instruments and many students attend our extra-curricular activities, before school, during lunchtimes and after school.
Key Stage 3
We develop practical music skills on the keyboards, guitars and percussion as well as giving experiences on ukuleles. We also teach pupils how to listen to and appraise music to gain a better understanding of how music is created.
Music technology is also taught throughout Key Stage 3, as is the theory of reading and writing music to support the practical activities.
Assessment:
Pupils have 2 assessments per unit of work. One assessment is a practical assessment either focussing on performance or composition and the other is a written assessment where we listen to a piece of music in the genre studied and write critically about it.
Key Stage 4
We offer GCSE Music with the OCR examination board. In this course students will:¯
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Develop and extend their knowledge of music, including composition, performance and listening and appraising.
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Gain understanding of the interrelated aspects of music, known as the ‘elements of music’.
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Develop and extend their competence in a range of skills, including using the elements to effectively compose pieces of music and enhance their performances.
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Apply musical knowledge, understanding and skills to pieces of music, analysing and commenting on them, including extended response essay-style questions.
Students have to complete 4 pieces of Non-Exam Assessment (60% total) which are a solo and ensemble performance and 2 compositions, one of which is to a set brief by the exam board. There is also a listening and appraising examination at the end of the course (40%).
Independent rehearsal outside of lesson time forms an important part of GCSE Music. Performances do not have to be in the public forum, but these often produce the highest marks. GCSE Music requires motivated learners who are able to work independently and demonstrate creativity.
Music develops many skills that are recognised by employers as positive characteristics, regardless of the profession, and GCSE Music is a good qualification to have on your CV.
Assessment:
Pupils study 1 unit of work per term.In that unit of work, they complete a composition assessment, a performance assessment and a listening and appraising assessment. In addition to this they also have 1 mock exam at the end of year 10 and 2 in year 11 as part of the whole school mock exams.
Music extra-curricular
The music department runs a range of extra-curricular activities including choirs, ensembles, rock bands, independent rehearsal and GCSE booster sessions.Please see the board outside the music department for an up-to-date timetable.
Extra-Curricular Music Opportunities from September 2025
Choir
GCSE Music Coursework Workshops
School Rock Ensemble
Instrumental tuition at The Macclesfield Academy
The Macclesfield Academy is proud to announce the reintroduction of brass tuition to our peripatetic offering, with high-quality instrumental lessons being taught by Gareth Brown. If you would like your child to have lessons, please contact harrison.blackaby@macclesfieldacademy.org
For other instruments, we are pleased to inform you of our partnership with Love Music Trust, one of our local Music Hub providers. If you require lesson on keyboard, woodwind, strings, guitar or voice, please fill in the application form via this link:
Small Group & Individual Tuition :: The Love Music Trust
Information about musical instrument hire can also be found by following this link:
Instrument Hire :: The Love Music Trust