Music is a lively and vibrant department which encourages participation by all, regardless of ability or age. It is a community driven environment which enjoys many successes. We work extensively with the other schools in the area, both primary and secondary, and regularly celebrate our students’ achievements. We run fantastic choir trips abroad, having recently returned from a tour to Toronto, Canada, in July 2025. Recently, after a rigorous selection process, we were awarded ‘Lead Music Hub Secondary School’ for North Herts and only one of 4 in the country.

Curriculum

Key Stage 3

Students use a range of skills to learn the basics of song writing, music from other cultures, music-related ICT, the music business and much more. A practical approach is taken to all lessons with students having the opportunity to perform and have their work informally assessed in every lesson.

Year 7

Unit 1 – Bridging the Gap

This unit is designed to form a ‘gathering’ of the variety of musical knowledge brought by students from their primary schools. It gives students the opportunity to develop their understanding of the process of composing by creating and performing music in response to a non-musical stimuli. During the unit students explore how sounds can be used rhythmically to create a composition.

Unit 2 – Expressionism

Continuing on from the introduction of notating rhythms, students are encouraged to maintain this skill as well as developing the ability to perform by ear. They are asked to create moods and atmospheres given to them. This is a group topic and students are introduced to the un-tuned percussion.

Unit 3 – Naming the Dots

This unit is designed to give students an introduction to pitch and melody. It is intended that from this topic onwards, both pitch and rhythm will be included in classwork.

Unit 4 – ‘Scarborough Fair’

This unit is intended to follow on from the introduction to pitch. It involves students playing an arrangement of Scarborough Fair and enables them to work with a variety of class members and perform in 4-part harmony.

Unit 5 – O Generator

This unit is designed to introduce students to the software ‘O-Generator’ whilst exploring the development of polyphonic textures and complex rhythms. Students learn the basic skills of producing their own compositions using their Chromebooks and also develop their knowledge of chords and melodies covered in Unit 1.

Unit 6 – Keyboard Music

This unit is designed to both introduce beginners and provide challenge for more able musicians. Students learn to play pieces in different styles on keyboards. They will be taught to use both hands to play.

Year 8

Unit 1 – 16 Bar Composition

This unit develops student’s ability to use instruments and devices to compose and perform their own, and others, work. They explore the basic ideas of song writing and begin to compose in a melody/accompaniment style. They also see how composers can use musical devices and harmony to compose melodic pieces of music.

Students are able to take advantage of our notation software ‘Noteflight’ to create their pieces enabling them to hear their music as they create it.

Unit 2 – ‘Walking in the Air’

This unit is designed to build on work covered during ‘Scarborough Fair’ in Year 7. Students develop their awareness of others during a 5-part harmony performance situation. They use a variety of instruments and scores and more able musicians are given the opportunity to learn to lead and conduct the others in their group.

Unit 3 – Ground Bass

This unit is designed to engage students with the software ‘Noteflight’ whilst exploring the structure of ground bass. Students learn the basic skills of producing their own compositions using Noteflight and also develop their knowledge of chords and melodies covered in Unit 1.

Unit 4 – Dance Music

This unit is designed to continue from the skills learnt in year 7 with the sequencing software ‘O-Generator’. Students learn the foundations behind club-dance music and compose a piece in a similar style. This unit helps to identify students who may be suitable for our Level 2 courses in Year 10.

Unit 5 – Ukuleles

Students have the opportunity to learn to play the ukulele and we are well resourced to allow for students to have one each. They learn the origins of the instrument, different chord patterns as well as playing to a backing track.

Unit 6 – Pop Performers

Students learn to follow, rehearse and perform a piece of pop music using a chord chart. They are encouraged to form a small ‘band’ in groups and perform at the end of the year.

Year 9

Unit 1 – West African Drumming

This unit is designed to introduce students to West African music and provide them with the experience of performing music in this style. It is also particularly relevant for those students who are considering taking this subject at Level 2 for either GCSE or BTEC Music.

Unit 2 – Film Music

Students use the DAW ‘YuStudio’ to create a soundtrack for a short animated film clip.

Unit 3 – 12 Bar Blues

This unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge of the keyboard through performing and improvisation. They also learn the historical and geographical information behind blues music.

Unit 4 – Experimental Experimenting

This unit is designed to introduce students to more ‘unconventional’ music and notation. Students are encouraged to listen to and perform experimental music through graphic scores. They are also assessed on an ensemble performance from a composed graphic score.

Unit 5 – Minimalism

This unit is designed to develop students’ techniques from Year 8 in composition and performing. It also teaches further skills in following traditional notation and will act as an introduction to one of the set works studied on the GCSE course.

Key Stage Four

At Key Stage 4 students have the choice of studying either GCSE Music (following the Edexcel Specification) or BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award in Music Practice. The GCSE course incorporates performing, composition and listening skills and is a mainly practical course. Students are required to complete coursework comprising of 2 compositions (30%), 2 performances (30%) and an examination at the end of the second year where they listen to music and answer questions based on familiar work they have been studying and also unfamiliar work.

The BTEC Level 2 course is equivalent to one GCSE and when successfully completed is graded from Level 1 pass to Level 2 distinction. Students are required to complete three components of study with a number of tasks in each ranging from recording a musical product to using a digital audio workstation to researching genres of music. Lessons are a mixture of practical and theoretical and students are taught to use both Mac operating systems. Students use Logic or YuStudio to create and produce their work. This course provides them with the skills to pursue either (or both) of the Level 3 BTEC courses.

Key Stage Five

There are three different qualifications available at Key Stage 5.

The traditional route of A Level Music following the Edexcel specification. This music pathway is the more traditional continuation of the GCSE course with the format staying very similar. A Level music is taught through the consortium arrangement, with the home centre maintaining at least one hour of contact with their own students per fortnight.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate in Sound Engineering – We also offer BTEC Music Technology at The Priory School for all the Consortium students. Students will cover studio recording techniques, mixing and mastering techniques and live sound. Units selected for this unit depend largely on the skills and strengths of the individual students within the group and is a very personalised course.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate in Music Performance – This course offers the learners an opportunity to further develop their performing or composing skills as well as developing their awareness of the music industry and events management. They also work in small groups developing their ensemble performance skills.

It is possible to study two of these courses in the combination of 1 & 2 or 2 & 3.

A Level Set Works

Enrichment

Music Ensembles

In the department there are ensemble rehearsals every week with some groups rehearsing twice a week.

The current ensembles include:

Junior Choir – a two-part choir for Year 7 students (helped by Year 8 students who were in the choir the previous year)
Senior Choir – an SATB 80-strong choir of students Years 8-13
Chamber Choir – an SATB choir of 8 students
Jazz Band
Orchestra
Woodwind Group
String Quartet
Percussion Group
Year 8 Vocal Group
Year 10 Close Vocal Harmony Group

If a student wants to start a group that isn’t on the list – then they are always welcome to speak to us and we can look into starting it.

Music Ensembles

Music Leaders

We are proud to be in the 6th year of our music leaders scheme. Led by Year 13 students, students can apply for roles and responsibilities within the department at the end of the school year ready for the new academic year. It’s a great opportunity to work alongside the Music department staff in providing a range of supporting roles, the details of roles can be found in the Music department. We currently have 15 music leaders who can be found proudly wearing their purple treble clef music badges and a student leadership badge. A display of these students is also on a noticeboard within the department.

In the Community

The department has many links with local businesses and is always looking to further this where possible. During the last few years the students have had visiting talks from local businesses and professionals as well as taking part in county and national music projects.

In addition to this, they have taken part in vocal workshops with ‘Sons of Pitches’, visited TV studios, seen West End theatre shows and performed at weddings. The department also works closely with local primary schools and invites them to performances as both audiences and performers themselves. As a lead secondary hub school for music, we are looking forward to expanding this work further.

Herts Music Gala

As part of the Herts Music Gala, we have taken part in each Gala since 2018.

Local and National Recognition

Music Mark

We are very pleased to announce that following a nomination by Hertfordshire Music Service, the Music Department has been awarded the national recognition of ‘Music Mark’. This highlights the ongoing excellent provision we provide for our students and the opportunities made available to them. We are very proud of this award, which states it has been awarded for ‘ambition and opportunity’.

The certificate is now proudly displayed in the reception area for people to see as they arrive into school.

Careers

For information regarding possible careers in music, please visit www.careersinmusic.co.uk.

Come and see any member of the Music Department as we also have resources and can discuss any career related question you might have.

Staff

Mrs Lindsay Creak – Head of Music Department
Mrs Elizabeth White – Teacher of Music; Head of Key Stage 4
Mr Matt Ankers – Teacher of Music and Teacher of Computing; Head of Year 9

We also have an extensive number of peripatetic staff working within the department providing students with individual instrumental lessons. Students can choose from 20 minute or 30 minute lessons on a wide range of instruments. Further information is available by clicking this link

Currently a large number of students are taught by our peripatetic teachers, many of whom perform both nationally and internationally.

Links

http://www.edexcel.com – Exam Board Information

http://www.hertsmusicservice.org.uk – External Music Information

http://www.abrsm.org – External Music Information

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/A-Level_Music

http://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-write-theme-variations–cms-20558 – Theme and Variations Help

GCSE 2016 Anthology

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3q984EWyJe5fvJzadbO3lE0SoLPy-jZL – Set Works

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3q984EWyJe7Cu2MhxIMkWvNsy8OQx-8Z – Wider Listening