Music

Music lies at the heart of the life at Hockerill, enriching the College community and playing an important role in the student experience. At Hockerill, we firmly believe in the value of music education for every young person and its vital contribution to thier personal, academic, and social development. 

The Music Department is vibrant and dynamic, offering year-round opportunities for students to perform, create, and grow as musicians. From large-scale concerts to intimate recitals, we are continually busy organising a wide range of events that celebrate and showcase the talents of our students.

Our extensive co-curricular programme supports a broad spectrum of musical interests, including choral, orchestral, jazz, and popular music. With something for everyone, students are encouraged to take part, explore new genres, and perform in both formal and informal settings. Whether pursuing music academically or as a personal interest, every student is welcomed and supported as a valued member of Hockerill’s musical community.

Intent 

At Hockerill, Music is taught as a compulsory subject in Years 7-9, following the IB Middle Years Programme.

Pupils may then opt to study GCSE Music in Years 10-11 (Edexcel board) followed by the Music IB Diploma course in the Sixth Form. Our diverse curriculum reflects the international dimension of the college, including practical units of work that focus on developing the pupils’ listening, performance and composition skills in music from all styles and cultures.

Technology also features strongly throughout the curriculum, with pupils being taught how to use computer-based sequencing and notation software as part of their regular classwork. Alongside students’ academic work, they are strongly encouraged to develop their performance skills to a high level on at least one instrument or voice, supported by regular practice in aural awareness and theory skills and engagement with the department’s varied music clubs programme. 

Implementation  

All pupils engage with music, whether this be within college or outside as a leisure pursuit or more serious academic or practical studies.

Irrespective of a student’s level of skill or experience outside the curriculum, the Middle Years Programme for music is centred around concept-based models for learning, enabling students to engage with a broad range of topics and styles in the roles of researcher, performer and creator.

Teaching-led approaches to learning are also balanced with more facilitating roles, enabling students to work more independently and/or collaboratively on group projects inspired by their own research and real-life musical practices. Students are encouraged to find cross-curricular links to improve their contextual understanding of the music they engage with.