Music

Head of Department: Mr Williams

Claremont High-School follows the national curriculum and advice from the Ofsted Model Music Curriculum and Subject Research Review Series. There is one music lesson per week through years 7, 8 and 9, taught across our 3 classrooms (including our Music Technology Suite), 5 practice rooms and recording studio all equipped with state of the art resources. 

In music students are taught:
1. To perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of periods, genres, styles and traditions.
2. How to sing and how to use their voices with increasing accuracy and fluency.
3. How to create and compose music on their own and with others, using technology where appropriate to aid composition.
4. How to play a musical instrument with increasing accuracy and fluency.
5. How pieces created, produced and communicated through a range of different notation formats and the elements of music.

Students are given opportunities to perform both within the context of a classroom and wider school performances such as assemblies and concerts. They also perform at venues outside of the school.

Additional teaching of musical instruments is offered to all students through an extensive co-curricular provision and peripatetic teachers from Brent Music Service who are partially based on-site. 

Curriculum Intent

The aims of the Music curriculum are to:

1. Engage and inspire students to develop a love of music and strength in practical music making; in terms of performance and composition.

2. Foster a critical engagement with a wide range music, allowing students to listen and appraise with discrimination.

3. Develop the whole child and preparing them for the future through music industry guidance, instilling confidence and values of respect and commitment.

See our Music Development Plan HERE.

Key Stage 3

Year 7, 8 & 9

Key stage 4

See the exam board specification and marking criteria HERE.

Key Stage 5

We are offering the Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma and Extended Diploma in Music for next academic year

Enrichment 

We have an extensive co-curricular offering including:

12 FREE clubs:
- Woodwind Ensemble
- Guitar Group
- Big Band
- Claremont Choir
- Claremont FM (Student Radio)
- Keyboard Club
- School Orchestra
- Percussion 'Drumming' Troop
- Chamber Strings
- GLEE Club
- Music Production Lab
- Catch Up Clinic

Our ‘Music for The Many’ Initiative: All students are provided with the opportunity for either A) peripatetic lessons in or outside of school, B) joining a FREE ensemble on a first-come-first-serve basis [PP priority], C) completing a digital performance diary evidencing interaction with our home learning scheme.

We have a weekly performance space known as our 'Busking Station' which features talented students taking to the stage in front of their peers once a week. There are also weekly assembly performances and whole year group singing. 

Our student leadership scheme includes a Music Ambassador programme. These students apply for the role and meet weekly to plan how to support the Music Department with specialist workshops on a range of content that stretches students beyond the curriculum including conducting, DJ-ing and experimental music installations. 

An annual trip is provided for each year group. 
Year 7 - Concert Trip
Year 8 - Battle of The Bands Trip
Year 9 - Music Industry Trip
GCSE - Musical Theatre Trip
MAT Students - External Workshop Trip

Practice Rooms: Rehearsal spaces are available to book for the week. Practice points are awarded for each booking which result in rewards including: annual cumulative instrument raffles, termly virtual concert tickets and half-termly rehearsal upgrades (straps, picks, strings, drum sticks, sheet music etc).

Maestro's Programme - Successful candidates for our Musical Aptitude Test are entered onto a bespoke programme which includes a specialist MAT student trip / workshop each year (where possible), a timetabled extra music lesson where students work towards music theory grade certification (which can count towards UCAS points) and a personalised music passport which means the pupils are given targets towards their own personal music goals and as such receive music career consultation and gain priority for other co-curricular opportunities such as instrumental lessons, clubs, year group music trips, workshops, competitions and opportunities to represent the school locally / nationally / internationally where possible. 

Instrumental Lessons

We offer instrumental lessons through BMS on a very wide range of instruments and students who opt for music lessons are regularly entered for ABRSM or Trinity practical and theory examinations. All students who receive instrumental lessons are encouraged to participate in at least one ensemble.

Music events 

In addition to the Co-Curricular groups, the Music Department lead calendared events across the academic year. These include:

• Autumn Harvest Festival 
• Winter Christmas Concert 
• Spring Soiree 
• Summer Festival
• Annual School Production

Next Steps

Students are made aware of future opportunities including further study at KS5 and university as well as career paths through targeted assemblies, a careers focus embedded into lessons, guest talks and work experience. Students are encouraged to build their skillset and portfolio early; gaining an overview of all aspects of music theory in Year 7, exposure to a range of instruments in Year 8 and composition tools in Year 9, followed by the opportunity to specialise in their chosen instrument and genre styles to compose in at GCSE and additionally pick modules relating to Music Technology at KS5. At KS5 a core module for all students is based around music industry experience and we aim to provide students with hands on experience in the sector of Music that most appeals to them as part of it.