Music

AQA GCSE MUSIC


Students can choose GCSE Music as one of many options in our Key Stage 4 curriculum. Students will perform in two Key Stage 4&5 Music concerts in the year. The first concert takes place in November and the second takes place in February/March time.

There are three main components of assessment:

  1. Understanding music – one exam – 40% of the GCSE.
  2. Performing music – 2 performances – 30% of the GCSE.
  3. Composing music – 2 compositions – 30% of the GCSE.

Throughout the course we record performances and practise composition to develop the students' practical skills.

Alongside this, we teach about the following topics through a process of listening, analysis and study:

  1. The elements of music.
  2. Western classical tradition 1650–1910.
  3. Popular music.
  4. Traditional music.
  5. Western classical tradition since 1910.
Useful Websites


ArtForms Leeds - www.artformsleeds.co.uk

Bitesize Music - www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects