“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.” (Psalms 95:2)
Curriculum Vision
Music at St Hilda’s is shaped by our Christian vision and values and our belief that all students should be given the opportunity to flourish.
We study Music to experience an exciting range of practical activities and cultural experiences that cover a diverse range of styles and genres. We aim for this curriculum to inspire and engage all learners through creative and challenging activities. We hope to foster a great sense of independence and musical competence as well as an ever-greater appreciation of music. Pupils will gain valuable independent and ensemble experiences that teach self-discipline, resilience and reflective skills through the rehearsal process.
With our curriculum, we aim to build successful learners who enjoy music and want to achieve excellence but our aim as teachers, as leaders is to create a department in which learners feel safe, at home and completely themselves.
Curriculum and Assessment Maps
YEAR 7
YEAR 8
YEAR 9
YEAR 10
YEAR 11
YEAR 12
YEAR 13
Further Information
STAFF
The Music Department consists of the following staff:
Ms J Paxton (Head of department)
Ms L
The department has 2 teachers of music. Both work together extremely well as a team. Under the direction of the Head of Department they share responsibility for the progress of students throughout Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and St Hilda’s College.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The music department runs a wide range of extra-curricular activities. These include a band and choir. There are opportunities for students to organise their own ensembles and they are encouraged to perform. Our annual performances include a Christmas carol service at the Anglican Cathedral and our summer concert in school. As well as these we also hold concerts and recitals, we participate in local and national festivals in which we have had many successes. The music department works closely with our Worship team to deliver Eucharist’s, assemblies and services with pupils taking lead toles in the organisation and delivery.
The music department joins forces with the art and drama departments for an Art’s Trip. On these trips the pupils visit universities, theatres, concert halls, art galleries and have a chance to see where a career in the arts could take them. Staff willingly give their time at weekends for these trips as we care about the future of our pupils and the future of arts education.
In the department students are led by a team of passionate musicians. For these staff music is all consuming and they relish the opportunity to impart this love of music on the students. The staff enjoy many different genres of music from Baroque to Britpop and are members of choirs, bands and ensembles outside of school as we believe you have to make music in order to teach music.
At key stage 3 the students are taken on a musical journey with units such as Programme Music, Film Music, World Music and Popular music. Within each topic pupils are given the opportunities to create music through composition and performance.
Students in year 10 and 11 follow the Eduqas GCSE course. This course involves the study of a variety of genres and styles and again encourages pupils to perform, compose and appraise music and enables students to study in depth a variety of different styles and put them in a wider context. At Key Stage 5 pupils follow the Eduqas A Level course where they can focus on an area of interest and we can create a course that plays to their interests and the strengths of the department.
In the music department we try to provide opportunities for students to learn to enjoy and expand their knowledge of music in a very wide sense. We want our teaching to impact on students of all age, levels and abilities and to stretch the gifted musician as well as provide opportunities for those who do not necessarily see themselves as musically inclined. A wide range of musical styles and traditions are given equal prominence with a view to opening students’ minds to what is available out there in the world of music. Through learning music, students will learn perseverance, creativity, dedication and focus: skills that they will carry through life and are transferable to any career.
HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?
Nothing beats live music, so the opportunity to play an instrument (or sing) and to experience live concerts (in any genre) is ideal.
Singing together, in any setting, is a fantastic experience.
Liverpool is a great place for live music. Many of the city’s professional groups run family concerts.
WHERE NEXT
Music can be studied as a degree subject at a number of Russell Group universities as well as many conservatoires in the UK or abroad.
A Music degree is a springboard to a wide variety of careers including performing as well as non-related careers such as law, finance and the creative industries.