As part of our essential knowledge programme, every student in Year 8 studies the LAMDA Grade 2 Speaking Verse and Prose course. During these lessons, students focus on developing their ability to speak in front of an audience with correct posture, pace, projection and diction. As part of the course, all students build up to the final exam by performing in pairs and small groups in front of the class and then finally performing to one of our School Governors. Those students who wish to enter for the officially recognised exam then perform in front of a visiting LAMDA examiner. Students are required to perform from memory, a poem and a section of prose from a book of their choice. 

20 Year 8 students took their LAMDA Grade 2 Speaking Verse and Prose exams at the end of the Summer term and returned to school in September to hear some fantastic news! Every single student passed with the vast majority gaining a distinction. An incredible achievement! 

We are extremely proud of all of the students who took the exam. Well done! 

Following the fantastic visit from our music therapists during the STEM festival, Year 8 students have been busy working to create their own piece of music to relax to. Focusing on composing, using the chords of C, A, F and G, students have been learning about using these chords in both block and broken chord accompaniment styles before writing a melody to fit with this. Using the sibelius software that we have in school, students have created some amazing pieces as I am sure you can see below. Well done, everyone!

Mrs Cattanach

Associate Assistant Headteacher

Year 7 have been learning all about the different families of instruments in the orchestra. Initially, we began with the brass family that includes the trumpet, the french horn, the trombone and the tuba. Students had the opportunity to create their own fanfare. Next, we learnt about the woodwind family (the flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon) before moving onto the strings with the violin, viola, cello and double bass. Finally, students learnt all about the percussion family and how some instruments can be tuned and untuned. With all their knowledge in hand, students were tasked with creating their own musical instrument from recyclable materials and WOW, we had some fantastic creations! 

Unable to choose one favourite, we decided to enlist the help of our Senior Leadership Team to choose a favourite each. So here we have the winners….

Mrs Pomeroy’s favourite by Martha W

Mrs Hall’s favourite by Paige H

Mr Ramsdale’s favourite by Lilah C

Mr Ward’s favourite by Grace W

Mrs Honeyman’s favourite by Phoebe B

Mr Herbert’s favourite by Isabelle M

Mrs Sweeney’s favourite by Imogen C

Mrs Woodhouse’s favourite by Jessica B

Mrs Cattanach’s favourite by Ruby Mc

As you can see, there were some absolutely brilliant instruments which could actually make a sound! Well done, everyone!

Mrs Cattanach

Associate Assistant Headteacher

On the 16th January a group of 46 students headed out to Manchester’s stunning Bridgewater Hall to experience a unique concert experience alongside students from all around the North West and beyond. The Halle orchestra’s ‘The Orchestra Through the Ages’ concert took pupils on a guided tour of music from the Renaissance period right through to the twenty first century. The concert featured soloists from the Royal Northern College of Music which really gave the students something to aspire towards. Our students were particularly blown away by the performance of Steven Schwarz’s ‘Defying Gravity’. This was a unique opportunity to see and hear it and was not only performed by a fabulous vocal student but was accompanied by the full symphony orchestra. One of the memories that will stay with me was when the concert presenter, Tom Redmond demonstrated a musical idea using a 9 foot Alpine horn!

It was a fantastic opportunity for our year 10 and 11 GCSE students to hear pieces performed live that they are currently studying as well as hearing some of the tricky concepts broken down with the help of the full orchestra.

“I thought the concert was fantastic! It was incredibly interesting and engaging. All the music was brilliant but I particularly loved Berlioz’s ‘March to the Scaffold’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked.”  Sea B Year 10

Mrs Little

Music Department