Music

Music Department Staff

Miss M Reading, Head of Music
Mrs D Noakes, Assistant Principal and Teacher of Music
Mrs L Sargent, Teacher of Music

Peripatetic Teachers provided by NMPAT

We are a proud partner of NMPAT and all of our vocal and instrumental lessons are supplied by them. We aim to offer every child who is interested, lessons of their choice, so please enquire. To request lessons, please download the attached letter and return the reply slip to the music department. Payment will then be set up via Arbor Payments.
Mrs C Anderson, Piano
Mrs L Astill, Strings
Mr A Kirkwood, Woodwind
Mr M Butler, Percussion
Mr S McAuley, Guitar
Miss, J Adams, Vocals

Instrumental Lessons Letter

Curriculum Intent

At Weavers Academy, the music curriculum is designed to inspire creativity, foster self-expression, and develop students’ cultural awareness. Through a broad and inclusive musical education, students gain the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed to thrive in the wider world—reflecting our commitment to high aspirations, personal development, and excellence.

Music at Weavers is a practical, engaging, and enriching subject that sits proudly within the Creative Education Trust’s vision for a knowledge-rich curriculum. We believe every child has the right to access high-quality music education, and we are committed to ensuring that all students—regardless of background or starting point—are supported to develop their musical understanding and to express themselves musically and emotionally.

Our curriculum embodies the school’s PRIDE values:

Perseverance – developing resilience through rehearsal, performance, and creative composition.
Respect – listening to and appreciating diverse musical traditions and peers’ contributions.
Independence – encouraging students to explore and take ownership of their musical learning.
Determination – refining musical skills through challenging practical work.
Engagement – promoting enthusiasm and joy through making, performing, and responding to music.

Through classroom learning, instrumental tuition, and rich co-curricular opportunities, students explore music as a cultural, creative, and academic discipline. They develop critical listening skills, confidence in performance, and an understanding of music’s place in society—past and present.

Our curriculum offers:

Breadth and balance, with a spiral curriculum at KS3 that builds mastery in performing, composing, improvising, listening, and music technology.
Ambition and rigour, with academic and vocational pathways at KS4 and KS5 (OCR GCSE Music, NCFE Music Technology, and RSL Level 3 Music Practitioners).
Access and inclusion, with subsidised instrumental tuition and tailored support for disadvantaged and SEND students.
Cultural capital, through regular concerts, trips, and opportunities to engage with professional and community music-making.

Ultimately, our aim is to ensure that every student leaves Weavers Academy with a deep appreciation for music, the skills to pursue it further if they choose, and the confidence to participate in and contribute to the wider cultural life of their community.

Classroom Music

Music at Weavers Academy is an inclusive, creative and ambitious subject that empowers students to understand, perform, and create music while appreciating its cultural, emotional, and social significance. Our offer supports all learners to develop their personal voice, work collaboratively, and engage critically with the world around them.

From KS3 through to KS5, students experience a well-sequenced curriculum that balances performance, composition, listening and music technology. The department provides meaningful enrichment through co-curricular ensembles, concerts, trips and competitions that extend learning beyond the classroom and support cultural capital.

Music Learning Resources

KS3 Music and Music Technology Curriculum

Our Key Stage 3 curriculum follows a spiral model that deepens musical knowledge and skills year on year across performing, composing, improvising, listening, and technology. All students receive dedicated curriculum time for music each week, where they are encouraged to work independently and in groups, to take creative risks, and to reflect critically on musical choices.

We introduce students to a wide range of musical genres, traditions, and instruments—ensuring broad exposure and the chance to discover individual interests. Every project is practically grounded and designed to build confidence, creativity, and cultural understanding.

We assess progress through learning statements, providing students and parents with clear, personalised feedback and tailored resources to support independent improvement.

KS4 Music Curriculum

OCR GCSE Music

Our KS4 students can opt to study OCR GCSE Music, which develops their skills in performance, composition and musical analysis. The course covers a wide variety of genres, ensuring that students appreciate both the historical canon and contemporary styles that reflect their own musical interests and identities.

This pathway suits students who enjoy performance, are interested in musical structure and theory, and want to extend their skills in a formal qualification. Students are also encouraged to pursue the Arts Award Silver Qualification as an extension of their musical development.

Students will follow the course according to this overview:

Click Here for Resources for OCR GCSE Music

KS4 Music Technology Curriculum

NCFE Technical Award in Music Technology

This vocational pathway equips students with the practical skills and industry knowledge needed to pursue music production and technology. Students learn to sequence, mix, record and edit audio, while also gaining an understanding of the music industry and its career pathways.

The course includes:

60% Coursework: Practical projects in recording and mixing, with written documentation
40% External Exam: A 1hr 30min written paper with audio analysis

Students develop independence, creativity and technical confidence, and many extend their learning through the Arts Award Silver Qualification.

Students will follow the course according to this overview:

Click Here for Resources for the NCFE Music Technology Course

KS5 Music and Music Technology Curriculum

At Post-16, students follow the RSL Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma for Music Practitioners, choosing either the Performance or Business pathway depending on their interests and aspirations.

This highly personalised qualification allows students to specialise in areas they are passionate about, building real-world skills that support university, employment or further training. Students develop resilience and responsibility by managing their own learning, building portfolios, and leading on performance and project work.

	Performance Pathway	Business Pathway
Core unit – 15 credits	Planning for a career in the music industry	Planning for a career in the music industry
Core Unit – 30 credits	Rehearsal skills and live music performance	Music Promotion and Event Management
Optional Units – totaling 45 credits	See below	See below

There are nearly 100 possible units to choose from. See this link for details: https://www.rslawards.com/vocational/vocational-syllabus/

Resources are Coming Soon

Instrumental and Vocal learning and Ensembles

Instrumental and Vocal Tuition

All students at Weavers are encouraged to learn an instrument or take vocal lessons, regardless of background or experience. We believe music education should be accessible to all, and we actively remove financial barriers through our tiered subsidy model:

Standard subsidy: All students – £90 per term
Further subsidy: KS4/5 Music students – £65
PP students: £45
Additional discount: £5 off per ensemble a student actively attends

Lessons are delivered by skilled peripatetic teachers through our partnership with the local music hub. If you would like to arrange for your son or daughter to have music tuition, then please download this letter for further information

Instrumental Lessons Letter

We are pleased to be able to support parents and students who wish to purchase their own instrument, with the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme. The link below is to the paperwork and the terms and conditions surrounding this scheme:

Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme Paperwork

Ensembles

All students, regardless of age or ability are invited and encouraged to attend the following lunch time ensembles:

KS3 Choir
KS4 and 5 Choir
Guitar Ensemble
Ukulele Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble
Keyboard Club
School Production (Chicago for 2026)

All students who play or own specific instruments, regardless of age or ability are invited and encouraged to attend the following lunch time and after school ensembles:

Concert Band
String Ensemble

Students who are considered at a higher ability, regardless of age, are invited and encouraged to attend the following lunch time and after school ensembles:

Folk Band
Swing Band

Music Events and Opportunities

Music is a celebrated part of life at Weavers, with regular concerts, performances, competitions, and trips that develop confidence, resilience and cultural awareness.

Programme of Events 2025-2026

Concerts

Winter & Summer Concerts – showcasing all ensembles and KS3 choir performances
Recital Series (KS3–KS5) – soloist opportunities for every student

Community and School Events

Carol singing tours to local care homes
Open evening performances (live and video)
Dining hall lunchtime concerts

Competitions

Participation in the Wellingborough Music Festival (soloists and ensembles)

Trips

Annual musical theatre trips for Years 7–9 (PP students subsidised by 50%)
- Recent trips: School of Rock, Hairspray, Sister Act, Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Encouragement to engage with local amateur pantomime and musical theatre groups

Music Department Development Plan

Whilst some music departments will now be sharing their overall priorities for development on their school websites, we are are proud to share the full details with you.