Music

The music staff are all practising musicians and composers, proficient in at least four instruments and dedicated to making the learning of music fun for all.

At Highgate Wood School, our aim is for all students to make more music, think more musically and, consequently, become more musical.

Our curriculum is designed to develop confident, skilled and reflective musicians through the integrated disciplines of listening, performing and composing. Students encounter a broad and diverse range of musical styles, traditions and cultures, enabling them to understand music as a significant form of human expression across time and place. We explicitly teach the knowledge and vocabulary required to analyse music critically, while ensuring that practical music-making remains central to every student’s experience.

Performance is a core entitlement. Students develop technical control, ensemble awareness and expressive confidence through regular practical work. By the end of Key Stage 3, all students are able to perform competently both as soloists and as members of an ensemble. Collaborative music-making fosters resilience, focus, mutual respect and a shared sense of responsibility.

Composition is embedded from Year 7 onwards. Students learn how musical ideas are constructed, developed and refined, building fluency in melody, harmony, rhythm, structure and texture. They are encouraged to experiment creatively while making informed musical decisions, supported by secure theoretical understanding.

Technology is integral to our curriculum design. We have invested in 40 new 2025 Mac mini computers equipped with Logic Pro 12, ensuring that students have access to industry-standard production tools. From Key Stage 3 through to GCSE and A Level, students develop skills in sequencing, MIDI programming, audio recording and mixing within a professional digital audio workstation. This supports progression into further study and the creative industries, while complementing strong live performance skills.

Music is a vibrant and diverse subject which, at KS3, is split into three key areas of study. First we teach all students the basic practical skills required to play the keyboard, guitar, bass and drum kit. We also teach about notation, performance and audience skills. The second sphere is composition, where once every fortnight all students are given opportunities to make up their own music. The final sphere is theory and listening, where music comes together and enhances the learning of the other two areas of study.

Students who take GCSE Music are provided with a challenging and firm grounding in a wide range of music. This enables those who wish to progress to music courses in KS5 with a good foundation.

OCR GCSE Music consists of different Areas of Study:

  • My Music You study your own instrument with a focus on performance and composing. This could be a musical instrument that you play, your voice (singing, beatboxing, rapping), sequencing (creating music on a computer) or DJing.
  • Conventions of Pop This covers pop music from the 1950’s onwards. It focuses on Rock ‘n’ Roll in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Rock Anthems in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Pop Ballads in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, and Solo Artists from the ‘90s onwards.
  • Film Music is an Area of Study that should be familiar to students from their Key Stage 3 studies. There are three topics: Music composed for films, classical music used within films, and music composed for video games.
  • Rhythms of the World This covers music from the following locations: India and the Punjab region, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South America.
  • The Concerto Through Time You study how the concerto (a composition for soloist(s) and orchestra) developed over the period from 1650 to 1910.
  • Introduction to Music Theory This covers reading and writing music, keys, scales and chords, and structure and form.

30% of the course is Performing (playing an instrument or singing). There are two assessment pieces, one solo and one in a group. 30% of the course is Composing individually. There are two assessment pieces, one for the candidate’s main instrument/voice/software and one based on a stimulus provided by OCR such as a chord progression, a description of an event, or a rhythm.

We run the AQA A level, with a focus in Year 12 on a Classical set work and popular music, and a focus in Year 13 on a further set work and jazz.

Key Stage 3

Music is a vibrant and diverse subject which, at KS3, is split into three key areas of study. First we teach all students the basic practical skills required to play the keyboard, guitar, bass and drum kit. We also teach about notation, performance and audience skills. The second sphere is composition, where once every fortnight all students are given opportunities to make up their own music. The final sphere is theory and listening, where music comes together and enhances the learning of the other two areas of study.

Key Stage 4

Students who take GCSE Music are provided with a challenging and firm grounding in a wide range of music. This enables those who wish to progress to music courses in KS5 with a good foundation.

OCR GCSE Music consists of different Areas of Study:

  • My Music You study your own instrument with a focus on performance and composing. This could be a musical instrument that you play, your voice (singing, beatboxing, rapping), sequencing (creating music on a computer) or DJing.
  • Conventions of Pop This covers pop music from the 1950’s onwards. It focuses on Rock ‘n’ Roll in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Rock Anthems in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Pop Ballads in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, and Solo Artists from the ‘90s onwards.
  • Film Music is an Area of Study that should be familiar to students from their Key Stage 3 studies. There are three topics: Music composed for films, classical music used within films, and music composed for video games.
  • Rhythms of the World This covers music from the following locations: India and the Punjab region, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, Africa, and Central and South America.
  • The Concerto Through Time You study how the concerto (a composition for soloist(s) and orchestra) developed over the period from 1650 to 1910.
  • Introduction to Music Theory This covers reading and writing music, keys, scales and chords, and structure and form.

30% of the course is Performing (playing an instrument or singing). There are two assessment pieces, one solo and one in a group. 30% of the course is Composing individually. There are two assessment pieces, one for the candidate’s main instrument/voice/software and one based on a stimulus provided by OCR such as a chord progression, a description of an event, or a rhythm.

Key Stage 5

We run the AQA A level, with a focus in Year 12 on a Classical set work and popular music, and a focus in Year 13 on a further set work and jazz.

Beyond the classroom, students extend their learning through instrumental lessons and extra-curricular ensembles including Orchestra, Guitar Group, Funk Band, Mandolini’s and Music Tech Club. These groups provide regular performance opportunities and reinforce our culture of musical ambition and community.

Music at Highgate Wood School is academically rigorous, practically ambitious and culturally inclusive. Our curriculum builds secure knowledge, technical proficiency and creative independence, preparing students not only for examination success but for lifelong engagement with music as performers, creators and informed listeners.

Additional Information

Within the department we also offer Music Technology courses at BTEC and A Level, using iMac computers and our recording studio.

Students are given vast opportunities to play music outside of lesson time, in a formal setting such as instrumental lessons with one-to-one tuition, and extra-curricular clubs, including orchestra, jazz band, choir, brass, guitar and mandolin ensembles. We also encourage informal practice with our practical rooms being open most lunch times for students to come and play.

We have many concerts throughout the year, including the winter concert, various road shows, a summer MADFest concert, and a week-long tour to a European destination (recently Barcelona and Salzburg).

Peripatetic Music Lessons – New Starters

Where to look

Students should check the Music Noticeboard for the day and time of their lesson and record it in their journal. At the first lesson, the peripatetic teacher will issue a Music Pass.

Practical Information

  • Guitar students do not need to bring their own instrument to school.
  • Students learning other instruments should bring them in.
  • Instruments can be stored in the music cupboard in the Drum.
  • Students should leave their class three minutes before their scheduled lesson.

Payment

Peripatetic lesson invoices are due by the end of May.

For further information please email tha@hws.haringey.sch.uk