Music Curriculum
Vision
Our music curriculum aims to provide all pupils with a high-quality music education which engages and inspires them to develop a life-long love of music, increases their self-confidence, creativity, and imagination, and provides opportunities for self-expression and a sense of personal achievement.
We respect musicians of all kinds, holding performers, composers and appraisers in equally high esteem. Through a diverse and rigorous curriculum, we aim to create the musicians of the future; dedicated, excellent, and brave in their endeavours. Our department is well-equipped with two dedicated music rooms, containing keyboards and Apple Macs for pupils to use to develop their skills.
Pupils finish Key Stage 3 with a strong musical foundation, which should serve them to participate in music in a variety of contexts in future. Pupils learn keyboard, ukulele, singing and percussion skills, and use practical skills as the vehicle through which to understand and apply the theoretical grounding. They learn notation, tab and chord reading skills, as well as applied practical musicianship and music technology and production skills on Logic, alongside the academic musical grounding required to pursue music at GCSE Level.
At GCSE level, we follow the Edexcel exam board, which explores a range of pieces in different styles, as well as prioritising the development of practical performance and composition skills. Pupils receive fully-funded individual lessons on an instrument of their choice as part of the GCSE offer, alongside the opportunity to go on a several trips to experience the curriculum live.
We also offer A Level Music, currently following the AQA Exam board, which has a large weighting towards performance and is built upon pupil choice for genre selection, meaning pupils can tailor the course to their musical interests. Fully-funded individual instrumental lessons continue to be part of the A Level offer, with the time allowance extended to reflect the higher level being studied.
As well as our music curriculum offer, we are keen for pupils to develop as musicians outside of the classroom, with a broad co-curricular offer, heavily subsidised instrumental lessons available, and a music scholarship programme.
Co-curricular Music page Music Scholarship page Instrumental Lessons Opportunity
