This article examines a unique music curriculum and assessment environment through the findings of a practical action research project carried out in secondary schools. I address two current international educational issues: the relationship between formal and informal learning in music, and how individuals’ contributions in collaborative groups might be summatively assessed. Following this I present a model of group composing and explain how it was used as a pedagogical tool in secondary music classrooms. The purpose of this was to help students and their teacher to conceptualise collaborative composing, thereby leading to a clearer understanding and more valid assessment of the processes in which they were engaged.

Ensembles such as rock and pop bands are places of exciting creativity and intense, enjoyable music making for young people. A recent review of New Zealand's secondary school qualification, the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA), has resulted in a new composition assessment of individuals' achievement in groups. An analysis of literature suggests that assessing the achievement of individuals in groups is complex and potentially problematic for novices. This is supported by the findings of an investigation into teacher and student experiences of the new NCEA assessment. In particular, the assessment of an individual's contribution to a collaborative compositional process was found to present significant challenges to pedagogical and assessment practice.

is a senior lecturer in education, specialising in secondary school music education and initial teacher education. A former secondary school teacher and in-service teacher-educator, her research interests include secondary school curriculum, the relationship between creativity and assessment, and teacher identity.Dr Victoria Kinsella is senior research fellow in education researching arts education and creativity. She has worked on a number of creative arts research projects in various contexts including schools, prisons, galleries, arts centres and with educational agencies. Her research interests include creativity, partnership and assessment. Secondary school arts teachers' perceptions of their practice autonomy in New Zealand and England.New Zealand has its educational roots in 19 th and 20 th century British educational systems with close similarities between English and New Zealand secondary school education structures. In the last two decades, however, secondary school education in both countries has experienced multiple and sometimes radical reforms. Educational policy has diverged markedly at times. In this article, we present the findings of research into the professional autonomy of 15 secondary school music, art and drama teachers from England and New Zealand. The aim was to explore whether educational policy impacts arts teaching practice, and to what extent teachers in both countries believe themselves to be professionally autonomous. Findings suggest despite similarities between jurisdictions, England teachers report a highly performative regime that restricts, governs and isolates them and the subject in school. This contrasts a progressive, even permissive, professional environment where the New Zealand teachers believe their students' needs come first and feel primarily accountable to their local and disciplinary communities.

The purpose of this article is to contribute to existing literature about how activity theory might be used in music education research. It draws from the author's doctoral action research into the assessment of group composing for New Zealand's secondary school qualification, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). It outlines and explains how activity theory was used to examine three interacting activities: social jamming, group composing and achievement in the NCEA. Analysis revealed a relationship between students’ identities, their achievement in NCEA group composing, and socio-economic disparity.

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