The academic Music department is passionate about broadening and deepening our students’ understanding and appreciation of music, at all levels. The wide scope of our Music courses empowers pupils of all abilities – whether they consider themselves to be musical or not.  It allows all to develop their creative, performing, analytical and critical abilities. Plus, it is fun.

In KS3 we discover what music we like, what music we might not like (yet), and crucially, why. Studying Music gives pupils the opportunity to cultivate an exceptionally wide set of skills, and to experiment with styles and genres beyond their personal comfort zones.  We have a new suit of keyboards which integrate with our iPads, enabling all students to be creative in their music making, and composition.  Performance is a central part of KS3, and there is plenty of singing and performing, which keeps all students engaged, and demonstrates how central music is in all our lives.  Understanding how and why music has such a power has challenged philosophers for generations.  We certainly understand that being involved in music-making enhances all our lives.

The GCSE course follows the Edexcel syllabus. As well as exploring music written in numerous diverse styles, students perform and compose music according to their own strengths and interests. For their compositions, pupils can use the department’s extensive music technology facilities, while the performing element of the course is led by our impressive team of visiting Music teachers.

A Level also follows the Edexcel syllabus and is similarly broad in scope. As with GCSE the curriculum is structured around the three key skills of performing, composing and listening/appraising – and the interrelationship between them.  We study a hugely varied range of set works, from the Baroque to the most avant-garde, giving students a thorough appreciation of the wider musical world. All pieces chosen are amongst the finest of their genre. It is the most wonderful course, opening all ears to musical tastes and styles they would otherwise not be familiar with.

In addition, beyond formal lessons, the department offers clinics to support those preparing for external examinations.