Welcome to the Music Department

Ms K Watson - Head of Music - Greenwood Road site
Mr M Attwood - Head of Music - Ransom Road site
Ms C Renwick
Mr F Hinchley

At the Nottingham Academy we believe that Music is a vital part of our school life.

Every member of the department is a music specialist offering a wide range of instrumental and technical skills. In addition to the full-time staff we also have a number of peripatetic staff offering free instrumental tuition after school on both of our sites. Pupils have the opportunity to learn piano, guitar, bass guitar, saxophone, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, drums, trumpet, trombone and, from year 9, singing. We have a wide range of ensembles (choirs, bands) and give regular concerts both in school and to the wider community, with a large number of pupils participating.

The aims of our Music curriculum are:

• To inspire our pupils through music, opening their eyes and minds to different styles and cultures from around the world.
• To develop musicians that can create and perform music in many styles with an awareness of why and how they are doing this.
• To build the confidence of our pupils, enabling them to work together and develop inter-personal skills in a safe and secure environment.
• To give our pupils a strong technical foundation in music so that they may pursue music to whatever level they wish, up to and including taking music at University.

All pupils take Music throughout Key stage 3 with the option to take it at both Key Stage Four and Five. All Music classes are mixed-ability. We believe that it is the job of a music teacher to open up new horizons and challenge what pupils believe to be good music. We look at a wide range of music from contemporary European and American music to music from around the world (Reggae from Jamaica, Raga from India, Drumming from Africa, Gamelan from Indonesia, Salsa from Cuba, Samba from Brazil). We discuss how each musical style reflects its cultural heritage and yet is relevant to our own multi-cultural society.

At the Nottingham Academy, we believe that there are three key skills in music: Listening, Performing and Composing. Through the wide range of different musical styles we study, pupils learn to analyse what their ears are listening to so that they can work out how different parts fit together to form a whole. They then learn to play individual parts so that they can perform a version of the musical style they are studying, using many different instruments. From this practical experience they use the template for each style of music to form their own compositions.

At Key Stage Four pupils take a Level 2 BTEC as an either extended certificate (worth the equivalent of 2 GCSEs) or diploma (worth the equivalent of 4 GCSEs). They are given frameworks that allow them to work in a far more independent manner. By the end of Year 11 we would expect all pupils to be able to perform to a high standard and compose in a way that reflects their own musical ideas. They will also be introduced to the basics of the music industry, from copyright issues and contracts to creating a professional development plan.

At Key Stage Five, pupils are given the opportunity to take the Level 3 BTEC as a certificate (equivalent to an AS Level), subsidiary diploma (equivalent to a full A2) or diploma (equivalent to two full A2s and only possible if taken in both Y12 and Y13). Pupils will be stretched to find their own musical voice as both performers and composers. They will learn advanced performance and composition techniques. They will explore the music industry in greater depth and learn about the history of popular music and how it reflects and is reflected by wider society. They will be introduced to a very wide range of songs and music and be expected to use musical examples to illustrate any written work.