Music at KJS

The King John School Music Development Plan Summary :

Overview

Detail	Information
Academic year	2025-2026
Date published	September 2025
Next Review Date	September 2026
School Music Lead	Ms E Rott
Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music	Mrs N Spearman
Local Music Hub	Greater Essex Music Hub: Essex Music Service
Name of other music education organisation(s) (if partnership in place)	Essex Music Service

This is a summary of how our school delivers music education to all our students via curriculum music, co-curricular provision and musical experiences – including future plans. This information is to help students and parents/carers understand what our school offers, and who we work with to support music education.

Part A: Curriculum Music

This is about what we teach in lesson time, how much time is spent teaching music and any music qualifications or awards that students can achieve.

The King John School offers a creative music curriculum which follows the model music curriculum; published by the DfE in March 2021.

The music curriculum, including progression models and intent for music at The King John School is published on the schools’ website.

Music is taught at KS3, one lesson per week. All students have access to both rhythmic and melodic instruments such as keyboards, xylophones, African drums and percussion. This is part of the whole-class instrumental programme and/or in other classroom teaching. Singing and vocal opportunities are included in the curriculum and also available as 1:1 tuition and extra-curricular activities. King John School - Music (thekjs.essex.sch.uk).

Music is a subject that can be accessed by all. At The King John School we endeavour to meet all needs and encourage all students to be fully involved in music.

Students have the opportunity to progress to KS4 and study GCSE music (Edxcel) this prepares learners for a more detailed and advanced learning programme, which continues progress of the performance and compositional skills learned at KS3. The knowledge and skills developed within these components have been carefully sequenced to challenge, engage and inspire a passion for the subject, as well as learning about music. Edexcel GCSE Music (2016) | Pearson qualifications

From September 2024 the school now offers KS5 A-Level Music (Eduqas) which will develop the skills from KS4 and provide progression into further education or the music industry. AS and A Level Music | Eduqas. KS5 students can also sign up for music enrichment which is a timetabled lesson of music once a fortnight.

All students have access to music technology in KS3 – Yu Studio, and in KS4/5 Soundtrap, Noteflight, Musescore, Flat IO.

We aim to support those students who wish to further develop their studies by providing opportunities to take graded exams up to grade 8 with instrumental tutors, forge connections with musical establishments and share opportunities with musical institutions such as ENO (English National Orchestra), Essex Young Musician of the Year, Trinity and Guildhall schools of music. We aim to make music available to all, and will support students to find grants and bursaries to support their studies.

We partner with Greater Essex Music Hub and Essex Music Service to support musical opportunities for our students.

All students have the opportunity for 1:1 instrumental lessons where they can take graded exams.

Part B: Co-Curricular Music

We provide opportunities for students to sing and play music, outside of lesson time, including choirs, ensembles and bands, assisting progress in music beyond the core curriculum.

The King John School provides a wide range of musical opportunities;

Arranging 1:1 lessons in; piano/keyboard, guitar/bass guitar, vocals, strings, brass and woodwind. Parents/carers of year 7-9 students pay for these lessons; however, GCSE, A-Level, Pupil Premium and LAC students are fully funded by The King John School
From September 2025 Students can now have 1:1 DJ lessons with an Industry professional.
Students can access Financial assistance from Essex Music Service for music lessons, instrument hire and county-led ensembles.
Extra-curricular clubs and ensembles are open to all students of all abilities and are free of charge
Rock school, which takes places after school for 2 hours per week, provides students with an opportunity to work together in small ensemble groups to develop musician and performance skills, while cultivating creativity and independence. Students research genres and musicians before they plan and rehearse their own performance. Rock school students perform for parents and students every term. Rock School is supported by a music teacher and 2 professional musicians.
The KJS Choir is open to all students and takes place after school every week. The choir sing a mixture of pop, contemporary, traditional and significant pieces from a wide range of artists. They perform regularly in assemblies and at the music department showcase.
Make Some Noise opens up the music department at break and lunch, allowing students to explore and develop their own musical skills, in the form of further development on an instrument or rehearsing with a music teacher.
Music Tech Club trains students to operate a lighting and sound desk, run concerts and record live music - this is open to all students.
Bi Weekly Lunchtime concerts provide opportunities for students to perform to their peers and all students across the school to hear live music.
New for 2025 is our Boomwhackers club where students of all abilities will learn how to play pitched plastic tubes and perform with others.
Annual whole school productions offer opportunities for students to take part in all aspects of a musical, from performing to being a sound technician.
Outreach to local schools as well as our MAT schools can be provided which benefits students across the Trust.
Students are able to access instrumental tuition and ensemble activities outside of the school day through Essex Music Service

Part C: Musical Experiences

All students have access to Extra-curricular music clubs such as Rock school, Choir and Make Some Noise.

Bi-weekly Lunchtime concerts allow students to develop their performance skills or listen to live music of a wide range of genres, taking place in the assembly hall and the playground.

Music is performed by students at all main school celebration assemblies

Post 16 have the opportunity to choose music for Enrichment which is a timetabled lesson They can work on their performance and instrumental skills or composition using both traditional notation or music technology with the support of a music teacher.

Post 16 students can also take music exams (Trinity Rock and pop) to gain UCAS points.

Post 16 students can sign up to mentor and support in KS3 music lessons.

Rock School hold a termly showcase for parents to showcase what they have learnt and achieved. They also perform at a summer show in an out of school venue, Summer of 2025 this was held at Fickle Pickle, a local professional music Venue, we have re booked for summer 2026.

The music department showcase is held annually in March which celebrates music of all genres and includes all year groups.

Whole school musical December 2024 - Footloose the Musical

KS4 Trip to Hamilton the musical, to support GCSE music AOS3 of Stage and Screen.

Rewards days in July – Musicians come in to school to perform for year 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Music workshops from visiting musicians are held throughout the school year.

In The Future

This is about what the school is planning for the future

We aim to continue to develop a high quality music education which is accessible to all.

Music priorities linked to the school development plan 25:

Adaptive/Responsive Teaching/Meeting the needs of all – underpinned by the EEF 5-a-Day Principles.
Disciplinary Reading- Fluency, Comprehension, and Vocabulary.
Developing Learner Independence/Metacognition

KS3 - We will continue to develop Literacy in music with a focus on KS3 which will not only support Listening and Appraising, GCSE and A level results in music but it will also help students in all areas of learning and help provide opportunities.

KS4 – Development of KS4 opportunities and increase the uptake for GCSE music. The development of compositional skills.

KS5 Development of A level music and increase the uptake from external students.

The Development of the use of music technology across the curriculum in all key stages in line with musical trends and society changes.

We will continue to follow the new National Plan (NPME) which sets out the key features of high-quality school music provision as: • timetabled curriculum music of at least one hour each week of the school year for key stages 1 to 3;

We will continue to provide access to lessons across a range of instruments and voice; We will continue to develop our school choir and provide performance opportunities;

We will continue to develop our Rock School and look at providing a school ensemble/band/group depending on the needs of the students;

We will continue to provide space for rehearsals and individual practice;

Provide a minimum of a termly school performance and provide opportunities to enjoy live performances at least once a year in the form of our music showcase.

We aim to provide outreach opportunities to our feeder schools and those with in the Zenith MAT and Music CoP (community of Practice for Music) we have recently collaborated on a UNESCO project ‘The seeds of hope’ which was performed by all Zenith students at the Towngate theatre Basildon.

Further Information (Optional)

As part of the Zenith Trust The King John School leads a CoP (Community of practice for music) where the music providers from the 5 schools in the MAT link and work together. This started June 2024 and will continue to help and develop music across the Trust.

We work closely with Essex Music Services:

Essex Music Hub have produced a Parent’s Guide to Music Provision which gives parents valuable information about supporting their child’s music education.