As a department, we are moving towards being outstanding. Ofsted have, in the past months, updated all their information about what being an outstanding music department requires. We are expecting an inspection within the year, and the bar has been raised considerably. These are the main pointers to what is expected.
We must ensure that
our Music Department:
- Is highly musical with a rich, interesting and relevant curriculum providing excellent experiences in classroom and extra-curricular.
- Has high standards of literacy supporting pupils’ musical development
- Has the highest expectations of staff with the highest aspirations for pupils.
- Is involved in local and national music education
- Provides outstanding development to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
- Has high retention and participation rates in instrumental tuition and ensembles as well as KS4 and 5 courses
Achievement
Pupils can show
- Independent, informed and deeply musical choices
- High levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music
- Awareness of different musical traditions and genres, with an excellent understanding of the historical, social and cultural origins of music
- Precise written and verbal explanations with effective and accurate use of musical terminology
Teaching
In our teaching
- Music is the target language
- Pupil’s voices are used constantly, not only for singing work, but to help internalise and understand musical ideas
- Pupils have confidence to challenge and ask questions, show initiative and take risks
- Exceptionally gifted students are challenged
- We respond to pupils’ creative and unexpected responses
- Audio and video are used extensively to appraise pupils’ work
Curriculum
- Pupils have outstanding opportunities to appreciate music as performers, creators and listeners
- The curriculum is imaginative and stimulating, planned in detail
- High quality vocal work is planned and used extensively throughout every aspect of our work
- Different aspects of our curriculum compliment each other and support each other
- Extra curricular work is of the highest quality
- Music permeates many aspects of school life
Leadership and
Management across the department
- Strong vision for music from Senior Managers and subject leaders – music for all
- Subject reviews and lesson observations demonstrate an excellent understanding of the unique features of teaching and learning in music
- Pupils and staff have confidence in their work – the skills of staff are used very effectively
- We have high quality partnerships with outside organisations and individuals that bring long-term benefits
- Views of parents, governors and students are considered
- All groups of pupils are involved, including Pupil Premium
- High quality music is at the heart of the school life, making an outstanding contribution to whole school priorities
- We are a valued partner in the local music hub
So, what do we need to do? In a nutshell, we have to look at the quality of our teaching. This is a continuation of what we started in the summer term, making lessons musical. Consider your own teaching - can you:
- Demonstrate progress in a 20 minute lesson?
- Demonstrate sustained progress over time? With most students, if you have been working on the same music for several weeks, then the answer is no.
- Use open questions in your lessons and challenge the musicians?
- Use accompaniment and demonstration in every lesson?
- Show your planning?
- Use keywords and vocabulary in every lesson?
As subject leader, I have to challenge staff to achieve more, strive for the best. We have many outstanding performers and we have to be challenging them as well as beginner students. Literacy is very important - we must not tollerate students having a poor use of language, slang, text speak.
Progress and questioning
These are the two key themes across the department that are being mentioned time and time again. Lessons must be enjoyable for the student, but they must show progress.
Remember, you are not their friend, you are their teacher. Trying to be popular often leads to under achievement by the student. This always results in poor teaching, because you are not challenging and the student is not making progress.
If you want your teaching to be outstanding, you have to demonstrate the progress and excellent questioning.
As mentioned above, we are looking at the quality of teaching in the short term. If you take an ensemble, think how your leadership of this can demonstrate progress. Do you challenge your ensemble musically?
Please think about these things when teaching this week. Next week I will explain how we will continue to move towards this. Debbie has already started lesson observations, and team meetings next term will look at how we can improve the quality of our teaching and ensure consistency. The curriculum team have already had lesson observations and we are working together to develop what we do.
Letters are available for the AB exams on 14/15 February. Replies must be in within the next 10 days, as we have to get the entry in before the end of term. Please put entries on the online form, accessed from the link above.
Other events coming up:
- The Rock gig is this Thursday from 7pm
- The details of the Carol Service will be emailed this week.
- Trinity exams in 10 days or so, and a clarinet recital this week
- Year 11 study leave from next Monday, 10th December
- The Take Note concert is on Saturday 15th December at St Andrews's Church. 7.30pm start. Thanks to Debbie and others for the organisation and hard work for this.
Many thanks for all your work.
Mark
