Music

At Read School, music is a vibrant, hands-on experience where curiosity, creativity, and confidence take centre stage. From our youngest pupils in Reception to our Year 6 leaders, we emphasise practical music-making- ensuring every child finds their voice, discovers new instruments, and develops a lifelong love for music.

Our curriculum combines dynamic schemes from Charanga with bespoke specialist teacher-crafted units, delivering a rich, age-appropriate musical journey at every step.

Pre-Prep (Reception – Year 2)

In these foundational years, music is all about joy, rhythm, and active participation. Pupils explore pitch, tempo, and dynamics through interactive singing, movement, and hands-on rhythm games.

Key Focus Areas:

• Exploring Sound: Discovering pulse, rhythm, and pitch using classroom percussion instruments.

• Vocal Confidence: Singing together in groups to build listening skills, pitch matching, and expression.

• Practical Making: Creating simple patterns, taking part in musical storytelling, and performing together.

Prep School (Years 3 – 6)

As pupils move into Prep, they deepen their understanding of music through engaging thematic topics, instrumental performance, and music theory. Across all year groups, children build confidence with basic theory notation, including reading the treble clef and understanding simple rhythms.

Years 3 & 4

• Instrumental Skills & Performance: Pupils learn to play the recorder, mastering fingerings, breath control, and basic notation.

• Vocal Ensemble: Developing singing techniques combined with instrumental accompaniment for group performance.

Year 5

• Sea Shanties: Exploring rhythm, call-and-response, and storytelling through traditional maritime music.

• Brass & Woodwind: Understanding how wind instruments work, their unique sounds, and their place in orchestra and band settings.

• Birdsong in Music: Discovering how nature inspires composers and exploring pitch and imitation through soundscapes.

Year 6

• Ostinati: Unlocking repeating patterns in rhythm and melody to compose layered musical pieces.

• Music for Festivals: Exploring how music brings cultures, celebrations, and communities together across the globe.

• The Voice: Deepening understanding of vocal technique, harmony, and vocal health.

• Magic & Mystery: Using dramatic musical techniques, minor keys, and dynamic contrasts to compose expressive atmospheric music.

In Key Stage 3, music at Read School continues to be an active, creative, and inspiring journey. Our focus remains firmly on practical music-making, giving pupils hands-on experience with instruments, composition, and performance while broadening their understanding of world music and musical history.

Our dynamic curriculum blends interactive learning from Charanga with bespoke teacher-designed schemes, laying strong practical and theoretical foundations for those who wish to pursue GCSE Music and beyond.

Year 7

Year 7 builds essential listening, analytical, and performance skills through a rich variety of musical genres and traditions.

• Practical Topics:

  • Families of the Orchestra: Exploring the unique timbers and roles of brass, woodwind, strings, and percussion.

  • The Elements of Music: Mastering building blocks such as pitch, dynamics, tempo, texture, and timbre through composition.

  • Programmatic Music: Discovering how composers use sound to tell stories, evoke images, and depict characters.

  • Gamelan: Hands-on experience with traditional Indonesian ensemble music, exploring cyclic rhythms and layered textures.

• Music Theory: Developing confidence in reading treble clef notation and understanding dotted rhythms.

Year 8

Year 8 focuses on instrumental proficiency and exploring diverse world and historical music traditions.

• Practical Topics:

  • Keyboard Skills: All pupils learn and refine practical keyboard technique, reading notation and playing independently.

  • Classical Music: Exploring iconic works and structural concepts from the Classical era.

  • Keyboard Instruments: Tracing the history and evolution of keyboard instruments from harpsichords to modern synthesisers.

  • Rap & Hip-Hop: Understanding rhythm, cadence, lyricism, and beat-making in contemporary popular music.

  • Indian Music: Investigating the rich traditions of Indian classical music, including Raga (melody) and Tala (rhythm).

• Music Theory: Expanding notation skills to include reading the bass clef and understanding ledger lines.

Year 9

Year 9 prepares pupils for upper-school music making, emphasising ensemble collaboration, genre study, and creative songwriting.

• Practical Topics:

  • Group Performance: Pupils are encouraged to perform in ensembles using their own specialist instruments or keyboards.

  • Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues, Ragtime & Reggae: Exploring iconic 20th-century genres, syncopation, chord progressions, and basslines.

  • Songwriting & Composition: Applying musical knowledge to compose original music, lyrics, and arrangements.

• Music Theory & GCSE Preparation: Analysing mini set works and mastering key musical vocabulary in preparation for GCSE Music.

At Key Stage 4, pupils follow the AQA GCSE Music specification. The course builds on practical skills while deepening analytical understanding across three core components: Performance, Composition, and Appraising.

Through a mix of practical workshops, creative composition sessions, and detailed score analysis, students develop as confident, well-rounded musicians.

Year 10: Building Foundations & Exploring Styles

In Year 10, students immerse themselves in the four core Areas of Study while honing their solo and ensemble performance abilities and mastering composition techniques.

• Areas of Study (AQA):

  • Area 1: Western Classical Tradition (1650–1910): Exploring Baroque, Classical, and Romantic masterpieces, focusing on harmony, form, and orchestration.

  • Area 2: Popular Music: Analysing pop, rock, film music, and musical theatre, focusing on production, structure, and songcraft.

  • Area 3: Traditional Music: Discovering world music, folk traditions, and fusion, exploring rhythmic drive and cultural heritage.

  • Area 4: Western Classical Tradition since 1910: Investigating 20th and 21st-century art music, minimalism, and modern experimental styles.

• Practical Skills: Developing composition ideas, exploring music technology/notation software, and refining individual instrumental or vocal performance repertoire.

Year 11: Coursework Completion & Exam Preparation

Year 11 focuses on perfecting coursework submissions and consolidating listening and appraising skills for the final written examination.

• Composition Coursework:

  • Free Composition: Designing and writing an original piece in a style of the student's own choosing.

  • Brief Composition: Composing a piece tailored to a specific assignment set by the AQA exam board.

• Performance Coursework:

  • Solo & Ensemble: Recording both a solo performance and a group piece on their chosen instrument or voice.

• Exam Readiness: Targeted revision of all four Areas of Study, set work analysis, and practice with exam-style listening papers.

We are delighted to offer A-Level Music at Read School, providing an inspiring pathway for passionate musicians, performers, and aspiring composers.

A-Level Music offers an advanced, immersive study of musical analysis, creative composition, and high-level performance. The course acts as a springboard for further study at top conservatoires or universities, while nurturing advanced critical thinking, creativity, and discipline.

What the Course Covers

• Advanced Performance: Refining solo and ensemble skills to a professional standard, culminates in a recitals-style assessment on the student's chosen instrument or voice.

• Composition & Arranging: Developing advanced compositional techniques, exploring harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration, and creating original scores tailored to specific briefs and stylistic disciplines.

• Appraising & Musical Analysis: Deep-diving into landmark classical works, jazz, pop, film scores, and 20th-century developments, learning to analyse complex scores, place music in its historical context, and evaluate stylistic elements.

Beyond the Classroom

A-Level students play a leading role in Read School’s musical life- taking on leadership roles in school ensembles, mentoring younger pupils, and taking centre stage in our concerts, showcases, and annual productions.

A-Level Music is now offered at Read School.

The Music Department is heavily involved in our eagerly anticipated annual musical production. Recent shows have included spectacular staging of classics such as Grease, Chicago, Bugsy Malone, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast,.

Our productions are a true celebration of school-wide teamwork. A large number of pupils take to the stage in leading and ensemble roles- showcasing their singing, dancing, and acting talents- while others gain valuable hands-on experience behind the scenes designing sets and crafting props. We are also incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated community of talented parents who design and create our wonderful stage costumes.

Consistently reaching astonishingly high standards, these productions bring together music, drama, and creative arts for unforgettable evenings that our whole school family cherishes.

The Music Department enjoys a rich and cherished relationship with our neighbouring parish church, St Peter and Paul Church, Drax. Our musicians and choirs play a central role in the spiritual life of Read School by leading and enriching the music for a wide range of services throughout the academic year.

These key occasions offer pupils meaningful opportunities to perform in a magnificent historic setting, building confidence while continuing a proud tradition of choral and instrumental church music.

Annual Services Include:

• Harvest Thanksgiving

• Remembrance Sunday Service

• Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

• Easter Service

• Memorial Services & Commemoration Day

The Winter Concert is a flagship celebration in our school calendar, showcasing the immense variety, talent, and high standard of music-making across Read School.

It is a wonderfully inclusive evening where our newest musicians- some stepping onto the stage for the very first time after just a few weeks of lessons- perform alongside our advanced senior pupils. This creates a supportive and inspiring atmosphere where lower school children are celebrated for their early milestones and motivated by the polished performances of our older students.

Community & Purpose

At Read School, we believe music is at its best when it brings people together. Beyond celebrating our pupils' artistic growth, the Winter Concert frequently serves as an opportunity to support meaningful charitable causes and give back to local communities.

Performance is at the heart of our curriculum, and regular Class Concerts give every pupil a platform to share what they have been learning in lessons. Held both during class time and as special showcases for parents in person and through video recordings, these informal concerts celebrate individual progress, group harmony, and practical music-making.

Classroom Highlights:

• Years 3 & 4: Shared memorable performances showcasing vocal unity and instrumental accompaniment, including an inspiring song about the power of music.

• Years 5 & 6: Brought energy and rhythm to the stage with lively Sea Shanties and thematic pieces.

• Diverse Instrumentation: Pupils perform on a wide variety of instruments- including piano, clarinet, trumpet, guitar, drums, violin, and glockenspiel- demonstrating the rich musical variety nurtured at Read School.

A much-anticipated feature of our annual school calendar, Read’s Got Talent is a lively, high-energy showcase that celebrates the incredible variety of creativity and flair across all year groups.

From outstanding musical numbers and vocal solos to inventive novelty acts—ranging from roller-skating routines to hoverboard dancing- the show provides an inclusive stage for pupils to step into the spotlight and show off their unique abilities.

Event Highlights:

• Distinguished Panel: Performances are judged by a panel of selected teachers and senior students who provide encouragement and feedback.

• Coveted Awards: Prizes are awarded across multiple categories, including Best Junior Entry, Best Senior Entry, Best Overall Entertainment, and the highly anticipated Audience Vote.

• School Community Spirit: The event brings pupils, staff, and families together for an unforgettable evening of fun, laughter, and extraordinary talent.

The Richard Moloney Trust

The Richard Moloney Trust was created by former Read School Headmaster, Mr R.E.F. Moloney, for the “improvement, development, education, and appreciation of Arts & Music at Read School in all its aspects.” Created on 30th September 1991 to take effect upon his passing, the Trust has since provided extraordinary support to the school.

To date, the Trust has awarded generous grants totalling over £100,000, for which our entire school community is immensely grateful. This incredible legacy directly enriches our department today- funding crucial resources like our Mac Suite equipped with Sibelius and Logic Pro, and supporting the vibrant musical culture across all year groups. Mr Moloney’s vision lives on in the high take-up of music lessons and the raw enthusiasm of our pupils.

The Annual Moloney Trust Music Competition

A true highlight of the Read School calendar, the Moloney Trust Music Competition is an annual event kindly sponsored by the Trust to celebrate and inspire our young musicians.

Each year, around 60 student musicians take to the stage to perform in front of an invited external adjudicator. The event offers a platform for every level of musical journey, fostering confidence and stagecraft in a supportive environment.

Competition Highlights:

• Diverse Categories: Features a wide range of entries, from solo instrumental and vocal items to small and large ensembles.

• All Ability Levels: Open to every musician- ranging from beginners performing after their first few months of learning to highly accomplished performers.

• Expert Adjudication: An independent external adjudicator judges the performances, providing valuable constructive feedback to every child.

• Prizes & Awards: Prizes are awarded across categories, recognising technical performance, artistic expression, and exceptional musical effort.

Music at Read School extends far beyond the classroom walls. We take great pride in sharing our musical talents with the local community, preserving unique heritage traditions, and inspiring pupils through live performances across Yorkshire.

Community Outreach & Performance

Bringing joy to our local community through song is an essential part of school life.

• Sharing Music locally: Our school choirs regularly perform in the community, with past visits including special performances for Age UK members at Drax Social Club and a fundraising music showcase at the York Designer Outlet.

• Commercial Recording Release: Our Prep School Choir enjoyed a professional studio recording session, producing a single that is now available to stream and download on Apple Music, Spotify, and all major music platforms. You can listen to it here:  Read School - Love My Life 

• Mansion House Care Home: Most recently, our young musicians performed for The Dementia Society at Mansion House Care Home, delighting residents, families, and carers alike with a memorable afternoon of music.

Preserving Heritage: The Selby Bellringers

We are delighted to build strong links with the Selby Bellringers, who have visited Read School on several occasions to demonstrate and share the ancient art of bell ringing.