Music
Studying Music opens the door to success across the whole curriculum, aiding students to gain confidence in everyday tasks, as well as gaining an understanding of the importance of teamwork.
The Music department consists of a highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic group of teachers who are passionate about their subject. Our teaching enables all children to feel included and well-supported, whatever their background in the subject may be. Our aim as teachers is to provide an enthusiasm for both the performance and technology side of the subject, developing skills and expertise that will help them through their entire time at Welling School.
Reflecting the Welling Ways, creativity and resilience play a large part when studying music. Students will learn to develop their performance and technical skills, creating their own music, allowing them to improve an independence within the subject as they progress through their school life. A key factor in music is also ensemble work. Students learn quickly how to adapt to different situations and scenarios, showing their resilience towards the subject, a feature that will help them both inside and outside of school.
At Key Stage 3, students study a range of topics including how to read and write using music notation, the history of African Drumming and how to compose music using computer software’s such as Garageband or Logic Pro. All tasks are completed both individually and as a group, allowing their creativity to be expressed and shared. Students are also allowed to take part within the Winter and Summer concerts, should they like their work, from inside or outside of school, to be showcased. This creates a very supportive working environment for all musicians. Star pupils will also be nominated by their teachers to become Music Scholars. This includes use of the practice rooms at break and lunch times, as well as the opportunity to attend musical theatre trips.
At Key Stage 4, we follow the Edexcel BTEC Music Performance and Music Technology specifications. All students take a Music Industry exam in January of Year 11. Both courses are 75% coursework and 25% exam. Each course has both written and practical aspects, allowing students to show their true musicality to the examiner. There are opportunities to attend musical theatre trips for both courses.
At Key Stage 5, we follow the Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma for Music Performance (worth 1 A-Level) and the Edexcel BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology (worth 2 A-Levels). Both subjects are exciting and demanding, which are highly valued by industry professionals. Both courses are examined through a combination of coursework and examinations. Students will also have two key lectures provided by Industry Professionals, allowing them to network within the Music Industry. There are also opportunities to attend musical theatre trips.
How can you support your child?
- Encourage your child to rehearse and practice
- Read online articles about the topics they are studying to gain wider knowledge.