Music
Music Department Staff
- Miss M Reading, Assistant Principal and 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 and Theory
Mrs L Astill, Strings
Mr A Kirkwood, Woodwind
Mr M Butler, Percussion
Mr J Calcott, Guitar and Music Technology
Miss, J Adams, Vocals
Curriculum Intent
“Music is all around us. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Music connects us through people and places in our ever-changing world. It is creative, collaborative, celebratory and challenging. In our schools, music can bring communities together through the shared endeavour of whole-school singing, ensemble playing, experimenting with the creative process and, through the love of listening to friends and fellow pupils, performing. The sheer joy of music making can feed the soul of a school community, enriching each student while strengthening the shared bonds of support and trust which make a great school” (Model Music Curriculum, 2021).
“A truly musical school holds three distinct, but interlinked, areas of music education in balance” (Rogers, 2019). We truly believe in this, and have designed our music curriculum as such:
All students have access to music in the classroom, and the focus of KS3 curriculum music is on developing students’ musical understanding, getting to know how music works and how it conveys meaning.
Alongside this, students have the opportunity to learn an instrument with 1:1 lessons taking place during the school day. They also have the opportunity to rehearse in instrumental and vocal ensembles during lunch time and after school.
Of equal importance is a series of musical events running through the year – concerts, recitals competitions, workshops, trips to professional events – in which students experience music as a vital element in public culture.
Classroom Music
Our curriculum is based around the key areas of singing, playing, improvising, composing and listening. “Curriculum music is, fundamentally, about all students developing their musical understanding. This must be done through creative, practical exploration of sounds and music – we are not talking about passive musical appreciations. But it is about understanding, getting to know how music works, and how it therefore conveys meaning.” (Rogers, 2019).
We use learning statements to report home to parents on where students have strengths and areas for development. The resources below are designed to support students at home to address gaps in learning and are linked specifically to the learning statements.
KS3 Music and Music Technology Curriculum
Our KS3 music curriculum is a spiral curriculum based on the skills of playing, improvising, composing, technology and listening. We believe in introducing our students to a variety of instruments throughout their education so that students can explore their interests. All of our schemes of work are project based, balancing a variety of musical genres.
- Click Here for Resources for Year 7 Music
- Click Here for Resources for Year 8 Music
- Click Here for Resources for Year 9 Music
KS4 Music Curriculum
OCR GCSE Music
Students follow the OCR GCSE Music. This qualification has been chosen in order to develop students skills in performance, composition and music analysis. The course allows students to study a wide variety of musical genres from both the classical and popular canon, as well as focus on the genres that are most relevant to them and their development. Extension is available in studying for the Arts Award Silver Qualification.
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
Students follow the NCFE Technical Award in Music Technology. This qualification has been chosen in order to prepare students for careers in the music industry, developing the skills for the specialism. The course allows students to study a wide variety of musical genres from both the classical and popular canon, as well as focus on the genres that are most relevant to them and their development. Extension is available in studying for the Arts Award Silver Qualification
| Assessment |
| 60% of the course Coursework – 17 hours in length – practical sequencing, recording and mixing tasks – written log of the work |
| 40% of the course An external exam taken at the end of year 11 – 1 hour 30 minutes in length – written paper with audio examples |
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
Students are following the RSL Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma for Music Practitioners, following either the Performance or Business Pathway as suited to their skills and interests. This course has been chosen due to the extensive number of optional units available meaning that students can truly specialise and build on their interests. In an individual cohort, students are likely to all be studying different units of work to their peers in the same class in order to allow students to fully specialise.
| 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/
Instrumental and Vocal learning and Ensembles
Instrumental and Vocal Tuition
All students are offered and encouraged to access 1:1 peripatetic tuition which is delivered in partnership with the local music hub. These lessons are 1:1 weekly lessons lasting 20 minutes.
The biggest obstacle to this area is cost, and therefore the costs per term are:
- all students are subsidised by the school by 50% – £85
- KS4/5 music students are further subsidised for their first instrument – £60
- PP students are even further subsidised for their first instrument – £35
In addition, £5 discount each term is applied for each musical ensemble the student regularly attends and performs with.
If you would like to arrange for your son or daughter to have music tuition, then please download this letter for further information
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 Choir
- KS5 Choir
- Guitar Ensemble
- Ukulele Ensemble
- Percussion Ensemble
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:
- Chamber Choir
- Folk Band
- Swing Band
Music Events and Opportunities
Concerts
Winter Concert – all ensembles and all KS3 students invited to perform as part of a year group choir to showcase classroom music singing
Summer Concert – all ensembles and all KS3 students invited to perform as part of a year group choir to showcase classroom music singing
Recitals
- KS3 Recital – all students are invited to perform as soloists
- KS4 Recital – all students are invited to perform as soloists
- KS5 Recital – all students are invited to perform as soloists
Other Performances
Annual Carol singing tour to local care homes – high ability KS3 singers
Video performances to share for open evenings on site and online
Lunch time performances in the dining hall
Competitions
Wellingborough Music Festival – all ensembles that fit the criteria plus soloists that have instrumental/vocal lessons or are studying KS4/5 music
Trips
Year 7 musical theatre trip – all of the year group are invited to attend a trip to a professional production. This is charged at cost with PP students be subsidised by 50%
- 2021-22: School of Rock
- 2022-23: Bugsy Malone
Year 8 musical theatre trip – all of the year group are invited to attend a trip to a professional production. This is charged at cost with PP students be subsidised by 50%
- 2019-20: Kinky Boots
- 2021-22: Hairspray
- 2022-23: Sister Act
Year 9 musical theatre trip – all of the year group are invited to attend a trip to a professional production. This is charged at cost with PP students be subsidised by 50%
- 2019-20: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
- 2021-22: Chicago
- 2022-23: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Open to all – local amateur pantomime society performance to encourage students to audition
Open to all – local amateur musical theatre society performance to encourage students to audition
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.