Music subject update
Autumn 2026
Welcome to our autumn 2026 newsletter
Hello, I hope you've had a wonderful summer break and found time to rest, recharge and enjoy a well-deserved pause before the new academic year begins.
As we start a new year, I'm delighted to introduce myself as the new Subject Lead for Creative Arts, taking over from Sandra Allan. I'm incredibly excited to be supporting you and look forward to connecting with more Music teachers and hearing about the inspiring work taking place in classrooms, rehearsal spaces and performance venues across the country.
This year is particularly exciting as we're expanding our Creative Arts Subject Support team, creating more opportunities to support you through additional Curriculum Connect sessions, centre visits, subject expert events and opportunities for your feedback to help shape the resources and support we provide. Our aim is simple: to be visible, accessible and responsive throughout the year.
This autumn's update includes important guidance on the requirements for final recorded assessments in GCSE and A-level Music Components 2 and 3, information about the summer 2027 preliminary materials, teaching and learning resources, professional development opportunities and ways to get involved with the wider music community. You'll also find details of upcoming Curriculum Connect events, standardisation support and practical resources designed to help you start the year with confidence.
Thank you for everything you do to inspire creativity, musicality and artistic ambition in your students. Music education plays a vital role in developing confidence, collaboration and self-expression. We're proud to support the teachers who make those opportunities possible every day.
I look forward to meeting many more of you over the coming year and working together to make it an exciting and rewarding one for Music.
If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates , so they’re always informed and part of our community.
Best wishes
David Amos
Subject Lead - Creative Arts
Stay up to date with assessment reform
This autumn, the Department for Education (DfE) is expected to launch its subject content consultation, confirming which subjects will be included in phase 1, sharing draft proposals and inviting feedback from teachers, schools and exam boards.
There’s nothing you need to do right now. When the consultation launches, we’ll help you understand what it means for you, what’s changing in phase 1 subjects and how you can have your say.
Help shape the future of digital assessment
We’d like to hear about your experiences of digital teaching, learning and assessment through a short survey.
By sharing your experiences, you’ll help us shape the guidance, resources and support teachers need as digital assessment continues to evolve.
The survey contains 24 questions, takes around 12 minutes to complete and closes on 1 November 2026. As a thank you, participants who complete the survey can enter a prize draw for the chance to win one of four £50 gift vouchers.
Curriculum Connects
We have some exciting Curriculum Connects coming up, including:
Exploring Summer 2026
Join the AQA Creative Arts team for an overview of AQA results from the summer 2026 exam series. Explore national trends in your subject, including grade boundaries and outcomes, while gaining valuable insights from examiner reports, highlighting key strengths and areas for development. We’ll also share a round-up of resources and upcoming events to support your teaching. Please note that student responses and commentaries will not be covered in this session and these will be explored in more detail in our national programme events.
NEA planning
Join us for a session designed to support your planning and delivery of the NEA. We will provide an overview of the NEA brief and mark scheme, clarifying what is and isn’t permitted throughout the process. The session will also include key dos and don’ts, top tips for success and an opportunity to ask questions directly to our Subject Support team during a live Q&A.
Music: Live Q&A and networking
Come along, ask your questions and connect with others.
Autumn Curriculum Connects are available to book now. Come and meet your Creative Arts Subject Support team and network with other teachers.
Community links
Music and drama education expo: dates for your diary, 11 and 12 February 2027, at The Business Design Centre, London. We look forward to seeing you there.
Subject community
Discover new ways to enrich your music teaching with our Subject community for GCSE and A-level Music, which we’re continually adding to. Access a range of teaching resources, workshops, events and professional development from creative organisations selected for their relevance to your classroom.
Here we have rounded up a few useful and practical resources from some other organisations in the Music community to support you in the classroom.
Charanga: Create, record, inspire with Charanga’s YuStudio®
Charanga’s award-winning DAW, YuStudio, has been updated with new features to inspire the next generation of music creators. Find out more
Coming soon: YuStudio for mobile
Stay tuned for the launch of the new YuStudio mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Perfect for creating music, recording short loops and capturing musical ideas on the go – free to all Charanga Secondary users.
Start a 30-day free trial to explore Charanga’s digital audio workstation (DAW) in full and be the first to hear about the latest updates.
Royal Ballet and Opera House: RBO Schools Sing
RBO Schools Sing are delighted to offer a range of free singing opportunities for schools this autumn. Through certified Teacher CPD, classroom resources and participatory live lessons, teachers can bring world-class opera and singing into the classroom with no specialist experience required. Inspired by productions such as The Magic Flute and Carmen, the programme supports pupils to develop confidence, creativity, communication and collaboration through song. Teachers can also explore inclusive singing approaches, including sensory-friendly pathways that support participation for all learners. Find out more at: Royal Ballet and Opera Schools.
I AM MOOT: International Creative Arts Tours
I AM MOOT International Creative Arts Tours is for schools seeking to deliver extraordinary international creative arts, cultural and educational tours and transformative educational journeys - with a difference.
I AM MOOT works in close partnership with schools to design unique, bespoke, creative and performing arts trips and tours that balance ambition with care, in partnership with one of the leading tour companies in Europe, Venatour. Working alongside your school team, every detail is meticulously considered, with a focus on safety, discretion and seamless delivery.
The recently launched programme of international creative and performing arts tours is something they’re all incredibly proud of too, offering opportunities for you to visit stunning destinations across the USA, including Los Angeles, New York and Miami, as well as locations in Europe.
If you’d like to receive more information on the full programme of their international creative arts tours available to your school in 2027 and 2028, please email: matt@mattoreilly.co.uk. You can also follow them on LinkedIn.
Key updates
GCSE and A-level Music (Component 2 and 3) reminder
Final recorded assessment
Learners must perform, record and submit a single final assessment, which is the only version that will be accepted and evaluated. Multiple recordings and/or re-recordings are not permitted and previous drafts or alternative versions must not be submitted.
Teaching and learning resources
Summer 2027 preliminary materials
The GCSE Music (8271/C) and A-level Music (7272/C) Component 3 preliminary materials for summer 2027 are available on Centre Services from 15 September 2026. Learners can begin using the materials straight away as part of their non-exam assessment (NEA) work. As these are live assessment materials, please ensure they remain confidential. If materials are shared electronically with students, remind them that they must not distribute them further or upload them online, as doing so could be considered malpractice.
Reminder: Teaching guides
Our teaching guides provide key contextual and background information and highlight how a range of musical elements are employed within the pieces. The content provided in these guides isn’t exhaustive and there may be other interpretations or details which are also valid. Please make sure that you’re aware of the full requirements for Component 1 as outlined in the specification. You may wish to share some or all of this guide with your students.
Unit Award Scheme
AQA Music Unit Award Scheme (UAS) helps recognise and celebrate learner achievement through short, accessible units of study. Learners receive a certificate for each unit completed, helping to build confidence, motivation and engagement with learning.
We've mapped a range of Music UAS units to the GCSE Music specification, breaking key content into manageable, bite-sized learning outcomes. Some units link to multiple areas of the specification, giving you flexibility to support and reward progress throughout your music curriculum.
Notes and guidance
To support teachers in understanding compliance and specification delivery, we share notes and guidance in a range of areas for both GCSE and A-level. Notes and guidance: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Support read alongside JCQ’s AI in assessments: protecting the integrity of qualifications document, and Non-exam assessment (NEA) supervision, access arrangements and SEND guidance.
Get more with myAQA
myAQA gives you access to everything you need to plan, teach and assess, including our secure extranet – Centre Services. Here you’ll find essential resources, such as the latest past papers, as well as Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS) and much more.
Don’t have a myAQA account yet? Complete a short form to get started. Once your Exams Officer has verified your registration, then you’re ready to go.
Free professional development and events
We’ve developed a range of live on demand and eLearning professional development training courses to help you develop your knowledge and classroom confidence. Some of the courses coming up are:
- Mark scheme guidance and application - book onto your specification
- GCSE Music Teacher Standardisation – Component 2 (live) (Bookings open soon. Session takes place early in the spring term.)
- NEA Marking - book onto your relevant level/component
GCSE Music T-OLS Index – Component 3 only
Our GCSE Music T-OLS index helps you quickly access a range of marked student compositions from Component 3: Composing (8271/C). The examples cover a variety of approaches and achievement levels across both Composition to a Brief and Free Composition, supporting internal standardisation and moderation preparation. Use the index to locate relevant examples within Teacher online standardisation (T-OLS) and support your understanding of the mark scheme in practice.
Get involved and opportunities
Become an examiner or moderator: Becoming an examiner or moderator helps you deepen your understanding of specifications and mark schemes, improve your teaching and gain flexible professional development while earning extra income.
Student Advisory Group recruitment for 2026/27
Help your learners influence the future of exams
We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group for 2026/27. The group gives young people a direct opportunity to share their experiences and views on qualifications, assessments and the wider exam system. Their insights will help shape the future of the curriculum, qualifications and assessments for young people, as well as our work to offer new vocational qualifications.
If you know any learners who may be interested, please encourage them to apply – we’re looking for students who have taken AQA qualifications, though this is not essential, and they can be sitting general or vocational qualifications.
Applications open: Monday 7 September 2026
Applications close: 5.00pm on Monday 21 September 2026
Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this opportunity among your learners. For more information about the Student Advisory Group and details on how to apply, please visit our website.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within assessments
JCQ’s AI in assessments: protecting the integrity of qualifications document provides teachers/assessors involved in delivering JCQ qualifications with the information they need to manage the use of AI in assessments. All relevant staff need to be aware of and familiarise themselves with the latest guidance and instructions. If AI misuse is detected or suspected by your school or college, and the declaration of authentication has been signed, the case must be reported.
NEA advisers
For subjects with non-exam assessment, it’s likely you’ll have an NEA adviser. Advisers are experienced teachers and moderators who can provide guidance throughout the academic year on delivering NEA. Find out more about AQA NEA advisers.
Adviser contact details are available on Centre Services from mid-September, so please check back then, as their contact details may have changed from last year. If you don’t have an assigned adviser, please contact eos@aqa.org.uk.
Stay connected
Whatever your question, our subject support team is here to help.
- Email: music@aqa.org.uk
- Call: 01483 437 750, Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm.
- Book a Free-at-3 session with your AQA Music specialist. Bookings for the new academic year open Thursday 1 October 2026.