KS3 work has gone well this year. The addition of regular ‘fun’ singing activities with Years 7 and 8 is helping to raise levels of confidence in vocal work. The new Year 7 units have gone well and we have been delighted with the success of Musical Futures.
Our plans for KS3 next year include increasing the number of Musical Futures projects in Year 9 by organising the groups differently on the timetable, which Mrs Lockwood has made possible. Miss Haggart will be attending another training course to give us some new materials and ideas for the extra projects.
Year 10 have nearly completed the first year of the new AQA GCSE. The way we have decided to deliver the course seems to be working well with many students now having completed half of the composing element and all of the performing, taking much of the pressure off the spring term of Year 11.
We were very pleased with the quality of performances at the Spring Concert, in May.
On Tuesday, 15th June our Windband visited Alwyn Infants’ School to give a performance and demonstration of instruments. They were very excited to see us and were a most enthusiastic audience.
On 2nd July Miss Baldwin and Ms Armstrong will be taking A level students to Norden Farm to make use of their technical facilities and expertise. The music students will be making recordings or performances they will be preparing in advance.
Later in the term a small group of our students will be performing at Furze Platt Junior School in their summer musical production, Olivia. It will mean many hours of rehearsal and performances and it is heartening that every year we find students eager and willing to take part.
Year 7 students have had a day of Arts activities in a project based around the famous book for young children ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. Initial feedback from Year 7 participants has been very positive.
