The Vale Academy & School

Welcome

As a staff we aim to provide a high quality musical experience both in and out of the curriculum.  Our schemes of work offer a wide range of different music from African, Indian, pop, rock, folk and classical.  The department pays particular attention to the needs of all students.  It provides challenge for instrumentalists to achieve as high a performance standard as possible, particularly through the ABRSM examination system and our team of peripatetic musicians who work hard to deliver a personalised programme.  All students are encouraged to learn an instrument and take part in the many activities on offer.

Staffing

Mrs Keeler: Curriculum Leader
Mrs Stapley: Teacher

Mrs Rimmington - Singing
Mr Cavell - Woodwind/Theory
Mrs Dennis - Upper Strings
Mrs Roulson - Lower Strings
Mr Randall - Brass
Miss Russell/Mr Lunn - Percussion
Mrs Ess - Keyboard
Mr Hobson – Guitar 

We are a brilliantly resourced department with two main teaching rooms and a smaller 6th form teaching area, an industry standard Pro-Tools recording studio, four practice rooms and two rehearsal rooms. The department has 30 pc's with Sibelius 8 and Mixcraft.  We have an IMAC in each of the smaller rooms.  We also have six drum kits, samba band kit, steel pans, belleplates, African djembes and a full range of classroom percussion instruments.

The department has a "real buzz" to it both within lessons and in the many and varied extra-curricular activities. Students choose to spend much of their free time either taking part in one of the ensembles or simply coming to use the computers or team up with other students to form musical groups and bands. Our aim is to enable students to experience a wide range of music and to learn how to compose, perform and evaluate it.                        

Curriculum

Years 7 and 8 undertake projects in line with the standard Key Stage 3 QCA curriculum.

Years 9, 10 and 11 may take either the BTEC Level 2 Award or OCR GCSE Music.

Students in the Sixth Form can then follow on with OCR AS/A2 Music, BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in either composing or performing, BTEC Level 3 Diploma or BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

All music students this year have gained places at their first choice university. 

Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music

The Vale is a centre for these exams and students are able to take both practical and theory exams three times a year for each. 

Extra-Curricular Activities

The Vale is proud of its many and varied extra-curricular activities and the large numbers of students that participate in them. They include senior and junior brass ensemble, woodwind ensemble, string ensemble, jazz band, samba band, choir, lads' vocal group, senior and junior taiko drumming teams, African djembe group and various rock bands from different years. 

Success Stories

The Music Department is proud of its many and varied successes over the last two years. The ensembles have both grown in number and quality and we have enjoyed real successes in both the North Lincolnshire Music and Scunthorpe Music Festivals. Our students have been chosen to represent these festivals regionally at the end of September.

We have enjoyed 100% pass rate in both the theory and practical ABRSM examinations and we are extremely proud to have students in Y9 and 10 who are already working hard for the higher practical 7 and 8 grades in their instruments.   Our success with Sixth Form musicians has enabled them to gain places at prestigious universities such as The Royal Northern College of Music and BIMM.  The ensembles have also contributed significantly to our community work by providing music for fetes, Christmas concerts, W1 Workshops and various award evenings.  We are also proud that five of our students performed at The Royal Albert Hall in July this year. 

The Department have completed several successful tours abroad and also performed at Covent Garden in July 2016.  Our recent five-day tour of The Rhine, Germany saw our musicians enjoy a standing ovation at their concerts.

Forthcoming Events

More dates to follow