The Purcell School, the UK’s oldest specialist music school, is delighted to announce its intention to introduce the RSL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Music Industries as a new Sixth Form pathway from September 2026. In doing so, The Purcell School will be the only specialist music school in the country to offer this industry-focused qualification, reflecting the School’s ongoing commitment to preparing young musicians for an increasingly diverse and dynamic professional landscape.
The RSL Diploma is a nationally recognised vocational qualification designed to give students a thorough and hands-on understanding of how music is created, performed, produced and managed in today’s creative industries. The course is designed to provide a flexible and practical alternative to traditional academic routes, placing real-world music making at its core through project-based assessments, portfolio development and industry-style creative briefs.
At The Purcell School, the Diploma will be offered across four specialist pathways — Pop Performance, Classical Performance, Composition and Music Production — tailored to the strengths and interests of the School’s students. Students enrolling on the subsidiary diploma option will be able to combine this course with A Levels in one or two other subjects, whilst students opting for the extended diploma will complete a single vocational qualification equivalent in size to three A Levels.
Students will be supported to develop advanced skills in their chosen field while also gaining insight into broader industry practices related to their specialism. These will include collaborative performance, recording and production techniques, creative entrepreneurship, self-promotion, event planning and understanding how musicians sustain careers in the contemporary music environment.
Assessment will be entirely coursework based, with students completing practical projects, performances, recordings and written reflections in response to real-life creative briefs. This approach is intended to mirror professional practice and will enable learners to build a portfolio demonstrating their skills, versatility and industry awareness.
On successful completion, students will receive a nationally recognised RSL Diploma (equivalent to three A Levels), supporting progression to university or conservatoire study as well as directly into the dynamic and varied world of the music profession.
The programme will be led and administered by Andrew Williams, Head of Academic Music at The Purcell School. Speaking about the planned introduction, Williams said: “The RSL Diploma has the potential to allow us to offer students a truly holistic and future-facing music education. It recognises that today’s young musicians are versatile, creative and eager to explore multiple career pathways. We are excited about the possibility of bringing this opportunity to The Purcell School and of leading the way among specialist music schools in the UK.”
By planning to offer the RSL Diploma alongside its existing courses, The Purcell School aims to continue expanding the breadth of opportunities available to its students — supporting classical, contemporary and emerging musical identities and preparing each young musician for a successful and sustainable career in the creative industries.
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Additional course information and Q&As are available here.
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