Music Assessment Key Stage 3 Moving towards next step: A (creating and evaluating) Secure at that step: B (applying and analysing) Developing at that step: C (remembering and understanding) Step 1 You are at Step 1 if you... Can tell how a sound has been made Can explore and make sounds yourself Can tell how a sound has been changed Can use your voice to perform music Can sing as part of a group Can repeat a short tune or rhythm Can choose the right kinds of sounds when given a project to work on Can describe the mood of a piece of music Can identify simple patterns in music Can follow simple musical instructions Step 2 You are at Step 2 if you... Can recognise how sounds have been organised Can sing in tune Can perform simple pieces in time Can perform as part of a group Can organise sounds to create a simple piece of music Can use symbols and shapes to represent sound Can use the Elements of Music to describe what you hear
Can think of ways to improve your work Step 3 You are at Step 3 if you... Can describe how different sounds have been used to give the music expression Have experimented with sounds to make your own music expressive Can sing in tune and with expression Can perform simple parts with the correct rhythm Can improvise (make up on the spot) a simple tune Can describe how the Elements of Music have been used to make a piece of music expressive Can explain what the composer was trying to achieve with his/her piece Can think of ways to improve your work Step 4 You are at Step 4 if you... Can tell what a piece of music is for and describe how the composer uses different sounds to achieve the intended result Can compose music that matches a specific brief, say whether you met the brief and can think of ways to improve your work Can perform a tune by ear or from simple notation Perform as part of a group, showing that you are listening to others and know how your part fits Can improvise (make up on the spot) rhythms and tunes as part of a group Can use a musical structure (e.g. AABA) when you compose and can develop your ideas Can compare and contrast different pieces of music Can use the correct musical words to describe music
Step 5 You are at Step 5 if you... Can name and try out musical devices such as ostinato, riff, pedal note and sequence Can recognise when a piece of music was written or where it comes from Can perform longer tunes from memory and can play music that is written down in different ways Can perform in a group and understand your role Can make up tunes or rhythms on the spot that fit within a given structure Can compose music for different occasions and can write your music down Can use melody, rhythm, chords and structure Can compare and contrast pieces of music in detail Can improve your work over time. Step 6 You are at Step 6 if you... Can try out ideas from different styles of music you hear Can identify a musical process (e.g. improvisation in jazz) and describe how it is important in the music you are hearing Can use tempo, dynamics, phrasing and timbre to make your performance successful Can make changes to your performance so that it fits with what the group is doing Can improvise and compose in different musical styles Can change musical ideas to make them interesting Can write music down in the correct way to plan and improve your work Can improve your own work and the work of others.
Step 7 You are at Step 7 if you... Can work out differences between different types and styles of music Can suggest what may have influenced different types and styles of music Can perform in different styles and make a good contribution to a group performance Can create pieces of music with a clear structure and can imagine how the composition will sound before you start Can improvise, develop, change or reject musical ideas when you are composing in a particular style Can tell how successful your work is and can tell if you have used appropriate musical ideas Can describe how much your own work or the work of others reflects the circumstances in which it was composed. Step 8 You are at Step 8 if you... Can think about different musical resources and can describe how they are different and what makes them expressive Can use different musical resources in an expressive and effective way in your work Can perform, improvise and compose long pieces of music that show a sense of direction and shape in the way you use melody, rhythm and structure Can work with different styles and types of music Can play by ear or from notation Can tell the difference between different musical styles Can explain the cultural or social background of a piece of music and why this is important.
Step 9 This is the highest possible step at Key Stage 3 in Music. To achieve this step you must be able to: Tell the difference between different performances of the same piece of music Develop your own musical style Express your own ideas and feelings in music Make use of different instrumental or vocal talents Perform convincingly and show that you are on the same wavelength as the other musicians in a group Develop musical ideas in your compositions in a logical, but individual, way Can recognise and comment on changes within musical traditions and say how or why these changes occur Know about important performers and composers