Music is everywhere and impacts the lives of all of us. It is widely accepted that studying music allows students to increase their creativity, mental agility, discipline and collaboration with others. There is considerable evidence linking the development of musical skills to enhanced progress in other areas of learning. The development of these skills is beneficial to students in all areas of their school life. Success in music builds confidence and, whatever their eventual professions, students develop skills that can provide them with enjoyment for the rest of their lives. Many students who pursue music in school find that the practical nature of the subject provides a variety and balance to their overall diet of subjects.

The Music Department at St Peter’s Collegiate Academy aims to facilitate a curriculum which allows for outstanding musical development both inside and outside of the classroom. We deliver a broad curriculum of music from a range of historical backgrounds and cultural perspectives. Students are invited to open their minds to genres of music not necessarily familiar to them and explore them through performance, arrangement and analysis, using an increasing range of subject-specific vocabulary. They are exposed to new instruments and traditions, both live and recorded, and all students are encouraged to enhance their musical development by learning an instrument. By broadening horizons, students develop their musical interests, passions and opinions.

At Key Stage 3, students experience music largely through the practical elements of music: performing, composing and listening.

Topics include the following:

• Year 7: Keyboard skills, notation, programme music, guitar skills
• Year 8: Music from around the World (Indian and Latin American styles), Evolution of Pop Music
• Year 9: Film Music, Music in Advertising, Musical Theatre

Performances in lessons focus on keyboard and guitar skills.

We deliver the OCR GCSE course which consists of three components:

• Performance: Solo and ensemble with a combined weighting of 30% of the final mark.
• Composition: Two pieces, one free choice, and one set piece from the exam board with a combined weighting of 30% of the final mark.
• Listening and Appraising Examination worth 40% of the final mark.

The music qualification enables us to teach engaging content through the context of our four areas of study:

• The Concerto Through Time

• Rhythms of the World

• Film Music

• Conventions of Pop

The OCR music specification is academically demanding, allowing students to play to their strengths as performers or composers. Students can opt for a higher weighting for either performance or composition, in addition to the 40% written examination. Areas of study can include the following:

• The instrumental music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven

• Popular Song: blues, jazz, swing and big band.

• Developments in instrumental jazz, 1910 to the present day.

• Religious music of the Baroque period

• Programme Music, 1820-1910

We offer a wide range of high-quality enrichment opportunities to support the musical development of our students. Weekly rehearsals currently take place for the following ensembles:

• Concert Band

• String Orchestra

• Big Band

• Training Band

• A Capella Vocal Group

• Year 7 Choir

• Senior Choir

These ensembles perform at various concerts throughout the year and participate in an annual residential trip. These alternate between a weekend residential at Ingestre Hall (2022, 2024) and a European tour (2021 - Netherlands, 2023 - Rhineland, Germany).

We also produce a high-quality musical each year (alternating between a full school production and a sixth form production). Students make up the cast of these, but we also have some senior students playing in the band and in the technical team (lighting/sound etc) Recent productions include:

• 2022 - Sister Act 
• 2023 - Six! (6th Form)
• 2024 - Addams Family  

We maintain strong links with both Wolverhampton Music Service and St Peter’s Collegiate Church, and many of our students are involved in the Wolverhampton Youth Ensembles and the St Peter’s Church Choir (who perform regularly at Cathedrals in the UK).

The music industry is vital to the creative sector and the UK economy as a whole. In terms of specific careers, the following are some of the roles available within the industry:

• Performers

• Composers/Songwriters

• Live Music Entertainment

• Music Education (in-school & peripatetic)

• Music Production

• Music/Sound Technicians

• Artist/Orchestral Management

• Marketing and PR

• Military Musician

• Music Journalism

Many musicians who have attended St Peter’s are now thriving within the music industry!