Music
Welcome to the Sandringham Music Department. Our objective is to provide a rich and diverse music curriculum that encourages our students to be reflective, creative and open-minded, with an appreciation for music from a wide range of traditions and an intellectual curiosity about how music is connected to the world around us. This is supported by our varied enrichment and concert programme which offers opportunities for all students to regularly perform both in and out of school in our extracurricular instrumental groups and choirs.
Students have an hour of music each week in Years 7-9 and we offer Music GCSE and BTEC and Music and Music Technology A Level. The department is made up of two large teaching spaces, a Mac suite for whole class KS3 and 4 lessons, a specialist recording studio and KS5 music technology space, and smaller rooms for student practice and instrumental lessons.
Key Stage 3
Creativity and performance is central to our music curriculum at Sandringham and our aim is to develop students skills in performing, listening and composing through a strong practical focus. At KS3, students are taught in form groups for one hour a week and in Year 9 can also opt to take a Music and/or Music Technology module which each offer an extra hour a week.
Over the course of the three years, students study a wide range of musical styles from different traditions and parts of the world. Students are introduced to the contexts in which these different styles are composed and performed and explore these styles through their own performance and composition work. Genres studied include reggae, programme music, blues, western classical music, world and film music, musical theatre and songwriting.
Over the course of the three years, students learn the keyboard, guitar, bass guitar and ukulele and learn how to rehearse effectively both as individuals and as part of a band. Students also look at how music technology is used to perform and compose and over the course of KS3 use a range of apps as well as GarageBand, Logic and Sibelius.
How can I support my child’s learning?
There are a number of ways that you can support your child’s learning in music. Regular practice is key to making progress on any instrument or singing and our instrumental teachers use practice books as a way of helping students remember what their focus should be each week. Students interested in learning more widely about music can use any of the websites listed below to improve their listening skills or just to discover new composers and styles of music!
Music Faculty Enrichment Activities
Monday
Lunchtime: Sandringham Wind Band (Yrs 7-9), Ukulele Group
After School: KS4 composition clinic
Tuesday
Lunchtime: Junior Choir (Yrs 7-9), Close Harmony Groups
After School:
Wednesday
Lunchtime: Jazz Combo (Yrs 11+)
After School: Music Tech Club, Jazz Band, KS4 composition clinic
Thursday
Lunchtime: Chamber Choir (Yrs 9-13), Sax Ensemble, Junior Jazz (Yrs 7-9)
After School: Sinfonia, Rock School (externally run)
Friday
Lunchtime: String Group, Guitar Group
After School: Show Choir (Yr 9+ audition only)
All students are welcomed to the groups shown in bold. Other groups may be for older students, incur a cost or be invite only but please do ask if you would like more information. After school rehearsals and classes run until 4.00pm and all rehearsals take place in the Music Faculty.
Useful Links
Theory and listening
https://gb.abrsm.org/en/exam-support/apps-and-practice-tools/
https://www.musicteachers.co.uk/ezone/folder?id=9 (games for KS3)
https://sandringham.musicfirst.co.uk/app/ (KS4 and 5)
Creating your own music
Discovering music
