Curriculum Intent
At The Lowry Academy, the Music curriculum is designed to ensure that every pupil can access, create, and experience high-quality music-making, regardless of background or prior experience. Through our partnership with the Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST), all pupils are given the opportunity to learn an instrument as part of their core curriculum, placing practical music-making at the heart of learning.
Our intent is to develop confident, independent musicians who can perform, compose, and critically engage with music, while understanding its role as a powerful form of expression and communication. Pupils are not only taught how music works, but are immersed in it, developing fluency through regular performance, ensemble work, and creative composition.
The curriculum is structured around three interconnected disciplines:
- Performance – building technical control, accuracy, and expressive musicianship
- Composition – developing creativity through structured and independent musical ideas
- Listening and Appraising – strengthening analytical skills and musical understanding
Through these disciplines, pupils gain a secure understanding of the elements of music, including rhythm, pitch, harmony, structure, texture, timbre, and dynamics, applying this knowledge both practically and theoretically.
A key principle of our curriculum is equity and opportunity. The MiSST programme ensures that all pupils experience a high-quality, instrument-led curriculum, fostering discipline, resilience, collaboration, and pride in musical achievement. This approach develops not only musical skill, but also wider personal and academic growth.
As pupils progress through Key Stage 3, the curriculum is carefully sequenced to build the knowledge, skills, and understanding required for success at Key Stage 4, ensuring a smooth and confident transition into Eduqas GCSE Music, which is delivered to a high standard across the department.
We aim to cultivate a lifelong appreciation of music, enabling pupils to:
- Engage confidently in musical performance
- Express themselves creatively through composition
- Listen with understanding and critical awareness
Ultimately, our curriculum empowers pupils to see themselves as musicians, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and cultural awareness to succeed both within and beyond the classroom.