Intent
Our KS3 curriculum at Saxon Mount ensures that pupils have weekly lessons in Music and Drama within Years 7 & 8. In Year 9 the pupils experience a wide range of opportunities within the subject of Performing Arts in order to build upon core knowledge and skills. Pupils enjoy a variety of projects and practical opportunities, including workshops and educational visits, which promote social skills and personal development.
At KS4, pupils will study the first unit of the RSL Creative and Performing Arts Course the pupils will be exploring puppets and puppeteers from around the world. The pupils will research puppetry and start to develop their design skills through a variety of short workshop based activities.
Within the second year of the RSL Creative and Performing Arts Course the pupils will be consolidating design and performance skills from Unit 1 ready for their externally set assignment in the Spring Term. They will learn about different ways to perform with puppets live on stage through development of vocal and movement skills within a workshop setting.
Pupils play, perform, sing, improvise and compose in a range of contexts and use music technology. There are many opportunities for practical music-making during lesson time including performing and composing on keyboards, percussion instruments and ukuleles. Pupils learn about different musical structures, styles, genres and traditions. The interrelated dimensions of music are woven into their learning within each topic.
Music Topics – Rock Music, Choral Music, Motown, musical elements and music theory.
In Key Stage 3 we provide pupils with the foundation knowledge, skills and experiences to enable pupils to study Performing Arts in Key stage 4 if they choose to do so. Pupils are given the opportunity to apply and develop their skills by taking part in technique classes and performances delivered by their class teacher. They will experience a range of performing arts styles and genres, such as Miming, Musical Theatre and Radio Drama.
Drama/Performing Arts Topics - Theatre History, Melodrama, Devising, Working from Script and Stage Design. Pupils core skills and knowledge are reinforced and developed throughout KS3.
The course is comprised of two units; one internal unit and one external unit.
The pupils explore the art of puppetry within the internal unit and throughout the first year they are supported to research, design and make a puppet. They will then use their puppet within a short performance in order to demonstrate their skills. Self-reflection and Evaluation of skills and knowledge will be ongoing and can be demonstrated through written tasks, presentations and recorded discussions.
In Year 2 the pupils begin to develop their acting skills towards a live performance in response to a brief provided by the exam board. They then are expected to evaluate their performance and submit their performance and responses for external assessment.
Pupils who choose to take the GCSE music option will develop their music within three ‘Components’ across KS4. The three components which they study are Performing, Composition and Listening & Appraising. Performing and Composing activities are completed as part of their coursework and marked internally. Pupils will select one solo and one ensemble piece to perform on a chosen instrument/s to be assessed by their teacher in the second year. In Year 11 they will be required to partake in a written listening and appraising exam as a part of the final component, which will be externally marked. Throughout the course the pupils will learn about musical styles and genres from Western Classical Traditions to Contemporary and Popular music.
Headteacher Amanda Jagot
