KS3 Music

Linking depth of challenge to the National Curriculum (2008) levels

The statements of progression in musical understanding relate to the descriptors of attainment in the National Curriculum (2008) levels by:

• describing musical understanding first, and then articulating how that understanding is demonstrated through practical work;
• focusing on the understanding of musical styles, genres and traditions;
• describing an outcome which characterises the quality of musical understanding.

It is therefore reasonable to assume that pupils who demonstrate learning at a particular stage of progression in musical understanding over a period of time and in a range of contexts will be producing work characteristic of a particular National Curriculum (2008) level. The connection is made explicit in Document 5d  518kb which is an expanded version of the statements.

However, note the following points.

• The statements of progression do not describe all the criteria for the awarding of a level. In particular, they do not describe the details of practical work through which pupils demonstrate their attainment.
• The statements have a different purpose from the levels: they are designed to articulate planned learning rather than outcomes at the end of the key stage.

This means that there is no exact link between the statements for a given stage and a particular level. Trials have shown, though, that the combination of the stage of progression statements and level descriptors have provided teachers with accurate tools for both planning and assessing standards of work.

Task 9: Matching outcomes of understanding to National Curriculum (2008) levels (30 minutes)

Take a unit from your scheme of work that has been reviewed with the process from Unit 1: Structuring learning for musical understanding (i.e. with the stage of progression identified and used as a definition of planned learning). Monitor closely the outcomes of the work through the unit, including both the processes of the pupils and the final products (performances and compositions). How well is the link made between the planned learning and the level descriptions? If pupils were to produce the same standard of work over a period of time and in a range of contexts, would it properly fulfil the criteria for the award of the ‘matching’ level? What other evidence would you want to capture to ensure that the level was right?