A-level Music is taught for eight to ten hours a fortnight. We do our very best to stretch and challenge individuals in lessons and have high expectations for examination achievement. Every year, since 2010, we have been successful in helping students to gain a place at their first-choice university or college to study music. These have included; Oxford (Worcester College), The Royal College of Music, The Guildhall, King's College London, Goldsmiths College, Royal Holloway, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and the universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Cardiff, and Southampton. The Music Department comprises eight rooms across two purpose-built buildings; The Music Suite and our Performing Arts Block shared with Drama. There are two main teaching rooms including a computer suite running Sibelius and Cubase music software, and five smaller rehearsal rooms all fitted with pianos, stereos, and other instrumental resources. We also have a fully equipped recording studio. Two full-time members of staff operate the department and a further thirteen instrumental teachers visit weekly.
GCSE Music grade 7 or equivalent is the usual standard for entry for students or an equivalent qualification such as ABRSM grade 5 theory and practical on an instrument, will also be considered; If you are in doubt please contact us. Students are expected to play a full part in the musical life of the school by participating in ensembles, thereby encouraging younger pupils by example.
Component 1 (40%) Appraising Music is by written examination. This includes general listening to unfamiliar music and several analysis questions chosen from three areas of study encompassing the Western Classical Tradition; The Baroque Concerto, Mozart Operas, and Romantic Piano Music. Further unfamiliar listening to music and an essay question is then chosen from two other subareas; popular, media, musical theatre, jazz, contemporary traditional & art music since 1910. Although we take pupil experience and strengths into account, we currently choose to focus on musical theatre and jazz. Component 2 (35%) Performing coursework is externally moderated. The maximum level of demand, scoring the highest marks, is grade 8 and the final submission, recorded at the end of the course, must be at least ten minutes of solo music. Component 3 (25%) Composing coursework is externally assessed. Here, students get the opportunity to learn how to harmonize and compose two pieces of music of at least 4 and a half minutes duration; one in response to several set briefs and one free composition
About Education Provider
| Region | West Midlands |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| Address | Scotland Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 4BT |
A-level Music is taught for eight to ten hours a fortnight. We do our very best to stretch and challenge individuals in lessons and have high expectations for examination achievement. Every year, since 2010, we have been successful in helping students to gain a place at their first-choice university or college to study music. These have included; Oxford (Worcester College), The Royal College of Music, The Guildhall, King's College London, Goldsmiths College, Royal Holloway, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and the universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Cardiff, and Southampton. The Music Department comprises eight rooms across two purpose-built buildings; The Music Suite and our Performing Arts Block shared with Drama. There are two main teaching rooms including a computer suite running Sibelius and Cubase music software, and five smaller rehearsal rooms all fitted with pianos, stereos, and other instrumental resources. We also have a fully equipped recording studio. Two full-time members of staff operate the department and a further thirteen instrumental teachers visit weekly.
GCSE Music grade 7 or equivalent is the usual standard for entry for students or an equivalent qualification such as ABRSM grade 5 theory and practical on an instrument, will also be considered; If you are in doubt please contact us. Students are expected to play a full part in the musical life of the school by participating in ensembles, thereby encouraging younger pupils by example.
Component 1 (40%) Appraising Music is by written examination. This includes general listening to unfamiliar music and several analysis questions chosen from three areas of study encompassing the Western Classical Tradition; The Baroque Concerto, Mozart Operas, and Romantic Piano Music. Further unfamiliar listening to music and an essay question is then chosen from two other subareas; popular, media, musical theatre, jazz, contemporary traditional & art music since 1910. Although we take pupil experience and strengths into account, we currently choose to focus on musical theatre and jazz. Component 2 (35%) Performing coursework is externally moderated. The maximum level of demand, scoring the highest marks, is grade 8 and the final submission, recorded at the end of the course, must be at least ten minutes of solo music. Component 3 (25%) Composing coursework is externally assessed. Here, students get the opportunity to learn how to harmonize and compose two pieces of music of at least 4 and a half minutes duration; one in response to several set briefs and one free composition