GCSE and IGCSE
Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)
Music is at the heart of our studies here, offering students amazing opportunities to enhance their performance skills and explore new repertoire. Students will take an iGCSE in Music at the end of Year 10, providing a confidence boost and exam experience for Year 11. In Year 11, students also take part in outreach projects, composition, music technology and aural skills.
Most students take seven or eight GCSEs/iGCSEs, fewer than at mainstream schools, allowing a greater focus on music performance and achieving high-quality academic results. Our students excel in exams, with 61% achieving top grades (A*, A, 9, 8, 7) in 2023. This strong academic foundation helps students gain places at prestigious universities for music or other disciplines.
In Years 10 and 11, students will take core subjects: English Language, Maths and Science (Dual Award) plus Music. This gives five iGCSE passes. They will then choose two or three more subjects from English Literature, French, German, History, Art and Drama. Each option fits into specific blocks and it is not possible to choose more than one subject per block.
If English is not a first language, students might take English as an Additional Language (EAL) instead of another GCSE. We recommend students whose first language is English study at least one modern foreign language, provided they have prior experience in it.
