What learning looks like
Clapping, tapping and voice can make musical ideas practical. Spoken lesson narration is not a recording of musical examples or a substitute for listening and performing.
Teaching is followed by examples, practice and a chance to save written or described practical work. Parents use the separate guide to review submissions.
Year 1: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Keep a steady beat A beat is a steady pulse. |
| Week 2 | Explore high, low, loud and quiet Pitch describes how high or low a sound is. |
| Week 3 | Listen and answer a rhythm A rhythm is a pattern of sounds and silences. |
| Week 4 | Compose a tiny sound story A composer chooses and orders sounds. |
Year 2: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
Year 3: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
Year 4: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Separate pulse from rhythm Pulse is an even beat; rhythm is a pattern of sounds and silences fitted to it. |
| Week 2 | Read and write a four-beat rhythm In this simple notation a crotchet lasts one beat, a minim lasts two, and a crotchet rest lasts one silent beat. |
| Week 3 | Create a repeating musical pattern An ostinato is a short repeated pattern. |
| Week 4 | Shape a short ABA composition Musical structure organises sections. |
Year 5: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
Year 6: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
Year 7: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Distinguish metre, tempo and rhythm Metre groups beats; tempo is their speed; rhythm organises durations within them. |
| Week 2 | Develop a rhythmic motif A motif is a short recognisable idea. |
| Week 3 | Design two interacting musical parts Texture describes how musical parts combine. |
| Week 4 | Compose and justify a structured piece Structure and variation shape a listener’s experience. |
Year 8: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
Year 9: learning in Music
| Week | Topic and learning goal |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pulse and rhythm Explore pulse and rhythm and explain your thinking. |
| Week 2 | Pitch and contour Explore pitch and contour and explain your thinking. |
| Week 3 | Layers and musical choices Explore layers and musical choices and explain your thinking. |
| Week 4 | Compose, perform and refine Explore compose, perform and refine and explain your thinking. |
A real activity to discuss
Perform or visually demonstrate A and B over a steady pulse, make a new four-beat pattern and explain the difference between pulse and rhythm. Note any example, hint or adult help used.
This Year 4 task shows how an activity connects to its learning goal. Each year group uses its own tasks and level of support.
Check understanding and plan the next step
Ask the learner to explain a choice or apply an idea again with less help. Review saved work alongside practice feedback. Completion ticks are not grades, and the first month is not the whole annual subject programme.
Updated 28 October 2026 · Asta Online School
See learning at Asta for details about learning with Asta.