What we are trying to achieve with students
“Outstanding Music for all”
Our aim is to build an inclusive music curriculum that caters for all abilities and ages in an enjoyable and safe environment, fostering strong relationships between students and their music teachers, delivering music provision of the highest standard. We want our students to be creative, confident and skilful musicians who are well equipped to continue their musical studies.
The courses we run
KS3
All pupils participate in a variety of projects to develop their musical skills, knowledge and understanding. Projects include:
Year 7: Singing, Rhythm, Pitch, The Renaissance, Garageband, The Orchestra, Fanfare
Year 8: Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Keyboard Project, Blues, Logic, Film Music, Chords and Melody
Year 9: Hooks/Riffs, Logic, Latin American Music, Samba, Guitar, Minimalism
KS4
The Edexcel GCSE Specification focuses upon students’ ability to perform, compose, and listen & appraise. Through practical lessons students will learn the fundamentals of composition, using the purpose built music IT suite to realise their ideas. Students will also complete a number of performance ensemble tasks, encouraging them to work as a team, showing leadership qualities. Through the study of set works students will investigate composers’ compositional styles through different musical genres.
KS5
The Edexcel GCE Specification further develops the skills of performing, composing and appraising from GCSE. Students are now required to have good theory and practical skills (at least Grade V or equivalent) and are expected to complete both composing and performing coursework which amount to 60% in total. The written examination focuses upon set works covering a wide range of musical styles including classical, pop, and world music. Students will explore the compositional techniques of composers through the centuries and be tasked with comparing and contrasting the different styles.
Gifted and Talented Students
Those identified in Music as Subject Specialists are:
- Year 7/8 – Grade 4 or higher
- Years 9/10 – Grade 5 or higher
- Year 11 – Grade 6 or higher
- Year 12/13 – Grade 7 or higher
Items of particular interest
A full range of peripatetic music lessons are delivered by 13 visiting music teachers. Lessons covered include: Voice; Strings; Woodwind; Brass; Drum Kit; Piano and Music Theory
KS3 Music Workshops: Year 7 African Drumming; Year 8 Gamelan Orchestra: Year 9 Samba
The following extra curricular music ensembles run on a weekly basis:
Vocal
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Instrumental
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Junior Vocal Group (Years 7)
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Junior String Ensemble (Years 7/8) |
| Voyces (Years 8/9) |
Woodwind Group (Years 7-13) |
| Senior Vocal Group (Years 9-13) |
Jazz Band (Years 9-13) |
| Chamber Choir (Years 10-13) |
Orchestra (Years 7-13) |
| Choral Scholars (Years 10 - 13) |
Senior String Ensemble (Years 7-13) |
House Music Competitions:
- Singing
- Piano
- Instrumental
Concerts:
- Chamber Concert (October)
- Winter Concert (December)
- Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (December)
- Charters Unplugged (January)
- Gifted and Talented Chamber Concert (February)
- Spring Concert (March)
- Charterstock Pop and Rock Concert (July)
Trips
The Music Department runs a variety of trips to concerts and other events throughout the year. Some of these include trips to local schools to partake in events and collaborations and concert trips to watch orchestras and other ensembles.
Music tours have been run on a (usually) bi-annual basis. Recent destinations have included: Paris (2005);South Africa (2007); Austria (2008); New York (2010)
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