Case Studies

These case studies are drawn from the work of music teachers across the UK.  Each case study shows how they have adapted their work in line with the requirements of the new National Curriculum for Music.

Case Study 1
Desc: Writing Songs for Special Occasions. In this Case Study students explored the conventions of song writing as a collaborative process working alongside expert musicians.
PDF: Writing Songs for Special Occasions

Case Study 2
Desc: Enhancing Independent Learning through a Learning Passport. This Case Study looks at a whole school approach to enhancing independent learning through the developments of a Learning to Learn (L2L) initiative.
PDF: Enhancing Independent Learning through a Learning Passport

Case Study 3
Desc: Personalising Musical Learning. In this Case Study a Musical Futures approach is adopted to help provide a greater degree of personalisation to the Key Stage 3 curriculum.
PDF: Personalising Musical Learning

Case Study 4
Desc: Exploring Indonesia through a Cross Curricular Approach. This Case Study reflects on a Key Stage 3 project which gave pupils the opportunity to explore Indonesian arts, society and culture through the visual, performing and media arts and humanities.
PDF: Exploring Indonesia through a Cross Curricular Approach

Case Study 5
Desc: Using Music Technology to help Teach Form and Structure. Using the music of the Beatles and GarageBand software, this Case Study explores how Year 7 students developed their knowledge of form and structure.
PDF: Using Music and Media Technologies: Developing Form and Structure

Case Study 6
Desc: Redesigning a Scheme of Work for Cross-Curricular Themes. Through undertaking a scheme on Brazilian carnival, Year 7 students created cross-curricular work to feed into an international evening of collaboration with other departments.
PDF: Redesigning a Scheme of Work for Engagement, Inclusivity and Cross Curricular Themes

Case Study 7
Desc: Using Numu to Support Musical Learning. In this Case Study Year 8 pupils created and recorded their own music, either with live instruments and vocals or using sequencing software, or a combination of both. The best tracks were recorded in the school’s studio using their own record label, “Parky Krew”, and uploaded onto the NUMU website.
PDF: The Party Krew Project: Using Numu to Support Musical Learning

Case Study 8
Desc: Exploring Tribal Identity through Music, Art and Literature. Students explored the art and culture of tribal societies. This allowed them to reflect on their own identity and the extent to which it is shaped by their sense of belonging to a group or place.
PDF: The Setting Up of a Cross-Curricular Project: Exploring Tribal Identity through Music, Art and Literature

Case Study 9
Desc: Music and Media: Integrating musical practices in the Key Stage 3 curriculum. Reflecting the school’s engineering specialism, this Case Study considers how compelling learning experiences in music can be planned through linking music, engineering and enterprise in explicit ways.
PDF: Music and Media: Integrating musical practices in the Key Stage 3 curriculum

Case Study 10
Desc: Strange Fruit: A cross-curricular approach to the blues. This Case Study explores how teachers at Fallibroome High School taught the blues to pupils in Key Stage 3 through an imaginative application and linking together of key concepts in the music, dance and drama curricula.
PDF: Strange Fruit: A cross-curricular approach to the blues at Key Stage 3

Case Study 11
Desc: Developing Cultural Awareness Through an Enrichment Programme. This study explores how teachers at Kingstone Community School in Barnsley planned lessons which developed pupils’ cultural awareness whilst working on a cross-curricular theme.
PDF: Developing Cultural Awareness Through an Enrichment Programme

Case Study 12
Desc: Developing Performing Opportunities and Developing Musical Leadership. This study explores how teachers at Garforth Community College are developing opportunities for pupils to perform in different contexts in KS3, and enhance their music leadership skills.
PDF: Developing Performing Opportunities and Developing Musical Leadership

Case Study 13
Desc: Personalised Learning and the Use of ICT. This Case Study explores how Sheffield Park Academy is developing a broader music curriculum where pupils are encouraged to take part in performances and personalised learning is supported through the use of ICT.
PDF: Personalised Learning and the use of ICT

Case Study 14
Desc:  Fallibroome High School.   In this Case Study teachers and students describe examples of compelling learning.
Video: Music Compelling