Music

Vision

The music curriculum and enrichment programme at Barr’s Hill school is based upon the understanding of the power of music to transform lives.

Music lessons at Barr’s Hill school develop three key skills of listening, performance and composition. Students develop core singing and keyboard skills through a range of genres in Key Stage 3.

Through the practical elements of performance and composition, students gain a thorough understanding of music theory. Students can develop their skills further at GCSE where they study performance, composition and listening at a higher level.

Students are encouraged to attend music enrichment experiences and opportunities at the school. There is no charge for any peripatetic music lesson at the school. Students at Barr’s Hill school have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument with specialist instruction from Coventry Music Service. These lessons enable students to explore performance skills and develop these into a high standard where they can take Trinity and ABRSM graded performance exams. Students can develop the knowledge of ensemble performance from their curriculum by engaging with the large and small scale instrumental ensembles at the school. Students have the opportunity to develop key performance skills of singing and keyboard through the respective enrichment opportunities of choir and keyboard club and peripatetic piano lessons. Students who have peripatetic lessons perform solo and ensemble in the school during Showcase events. These opportunities help with character development in skills of resilience. The department works closely with Coventry Music Service to enable students to access high quality performance opportunities at Draper’s Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall. These opportunities are aspirational and inspire students to achieve and realise their full potential.

Confident performance is not only integral to the development of every musician but helps develop a lifelong ability to perform on stage with success and ease. Students at Barr’s Hill school perform at the end of every Key Stage 3 topic. Students at Key Stage 4 develop these performances into recordings for their performance component of GCSE. The students compose in a range of styles developing their core skill of keyboard skills through classical, blues, film and pop music. Students additionally learn to compose in a similar range of styles including World Music, Classical, Jazz and Blues, Film and Pop. In Key Stage 3, students develop an understanding of music theory which facilities performance and composition in both treble and bass clef. Students then explore this further through the composition component at GCSE level. Students develop their listening skills through every topic at Key Stage 3 and 4 working cumulating in the listening exam at GCSE level.