I'm not against developing new teaching material. However, I don't think these set works will have as long a shelf-life as you might hope for. I'm guessing 3 years. Let's hope it is longer. . .
I've been thinking about this idea of teaching all the set works in a year and I'm not convinced it's the best way forward. Surely the learning, composing and performing should be linked and come out of a carefully planned programme of study arising from these works? It can't be good to teach them just to cover them early on before getting onto the real stuff in year 11, can it? I think someone needs to post some stronger arguments on here to convince me that this is a good approach - I just can't see it!

A very good point you raise Anthony regarding the work-load with 18 new set works for A level. I teach Units 3 and 6, which I love to do because musicology and analysis are my specialisms and my wonderful head of department teaches the practical performing/composing sections. However, like shaun says the new GCSE will pay dividends with the A level students in a few years time...and, once we have made resources for the 12 GCSE set works these should last a while. I'm really not sure why the A level pieces are now changing every year - this makes preparation a tiresome task and it is practically impossible for year 13 students to retake Unit 3. Resource sharing is the way forward...watch this space.

Thanks Shaun that's a really helpful contribution to the whole debate. It is demanding - very demanding for teachers, especially as we are teaching 18 new set works at A-level at the same time if following Edexcel spec for these too. I agree though that we continually underestimate what students can do. Keeping the works in focus is going to be a real challenge next year and you are right that there does come a point where you have to help students to understand the theory of how it is all put together. However, it is teaching anything in an interesting and engaging manner and helping to ensure that students are making musical progress and that I am checking their musical understanding that are the key points for me. This is certainly rather tricky. Let's keep sharing how we're getting on in this forum and also posting resources we've developed for use on our own pages. This would really be a help!!

Like Bradley Minchin, I have been teaching the set works in a fairly chalk and talk way too as I can't really see a way around doing that. I am trying, where possible, to put practical elements within this and spread out listening exercises, compositional techniques and practical exploration of the musical themes and ideas, but with a very mixed group of 26 students, this is not always easy!

I too am trying to get through all 12 set works during year 10 so that students can re-visit them in year 11 and have also concentrated on developing understanding of music theory and showing students how to listen to music.

I am really pleased that Edexcel have changed over to set works, and it was partly the reason that I changed my school from the OCR spec to Edexcel. I think it gives the students a really good reference point on which to focus their thoughts and ideas, and specifics when they are applying information to other related works. I think it is more focused than the previous specification, although it is more work initially, I think it will pay dividends for those students who wish to go onto study at A Level. It has put more demands on me as a teacher, and has raised what I have expected from the students I teach. This is a good thing to a certain extent, but I think that there may well be some confusion over what it is exactly that Edexcel intend students to learn. Some of the books I have used go into a lot of detail, and other books cover things quite briefly, and I have found this to be the same with other teachers I have spoken with.

I wonder if Edexcel realise the demands they are putting on teachers in asking them to teach like this? Does it encourage good teaching and learning, do you think?

To be honest, I have been teaching the set works in quite an old fashioned, chalk and talk way, making sure that other aspects of the course are really practical and interactive. I'm in a similar set up to you and have found that using the Rhinegold Music Theory Workbook as a core homework for the less-able and non-readers, and getting the more-able to focus on Grade 5 and 6 theory has really helped the kids to get to grips with the pieces. Also, I've planned to get through all of the content this year (i.e. all 12 set works, giving them questions and define the key terms assignments), then will return to each piece again next year; so the kids accept that it will be quite difficult this year and some of it will go over their heads, but next year they will revisit and revise each piece again with a better general knowledge and understanding of music history and theory.

Thank you I will do that and as I get closer to teaching it will be watching this thread with interest!

Thanks, Anna. Check out my page for some schemes for use with the new spec. Although I've put a lot of effort into thinking through how to deliver this spec in an creative manner, I am still struggling. More ideas needed. . . .post here everyone. . .

I was lucky enough to go on a training at Guildhall Connect this week and although I am not teaching the spec yet, I plan to try workshopping some of the main themes/motifs of the piece first as a way of using practical hands on approaches. I think structures can be explored this way as well . It's early days, but I am forming some ideas!