Mission Statement
“As a Music college we will raise standards of achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in music for all students. We will also encourage our students to develop a lifelong passion for, and appreciation of music not only as performers and composers, but also as audiences, technicians and critics. We will be inclusive by promoting enjoyment of many different musical forms and encouraging all students to participate in a wide variety of music making. Our expectations are always high.”
We believe that specialist status has helped us to embed a positive and holistic ethos for teaching and learning. We wanted to embrace creativity as a dynamic process as this formed the basis with which we have modelled our framework for learning across the school. We defined “creativity” based upon a successful model of teaching and learning in music lessons: Structure, modelling, teamwork, performance & demonstration, higher thinking skills, analysis, independent learning, self discipline, evaluation and celebration.
We have sought to engage students and engender a sense of self awareness in their learning and further enhance their transference of skills and enjoyment through a series of activities based upon themes, involving whole year groups, whole school and our feeder Primary schools.
High levels of participation have encouraged a strong sense of community, pride and team work. All students perform annually in our House Music competition and many more habitually perform for their peers and wider audiences - both inside and outside of school on local and national platforms. We regularly put on over 18 different concerts and events each year. This gives students the confidence and self esteem to perform in the widest sense of the word and ensures that both students and staff are respectful of others both in performance and in different contexts.
We have three Instrumental schemes designed and aimed at allowing all students the opportunity to try out the following:
Brass Zone – Trumpet. French Horn, Trombone & Tuba
Reediscovery – Double Reeds – Oboes & Bassoons
Stringendo – Violins.
Further details are available on our dedicated “Instrumental Initiatives “page.
Caroline Gale
GRSM hons LRAM
Director Of Music; Head of Creative Arts