Academic Options

GCSE and IGCSE

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.

Key Stage 5 (Years 12 and 13)

A LEVEL

At Purcell, music is central to everything we do, offering students plenty of opportunities to hone their performance skills and prepare for auditions or university. Our classroom curriculum goes beyond the standard A Level Music course in order to deepen student understanding and build upon performance experience.

Students will choose two additional subjects to complement their music studies. We believe that the best musicianship happens with a rich and inspiring educational context, which is why we encourage ambition in all studies. Our boutique curriculum features expert teaching in subjects that young musicians love. Some students, particularly those studying English as an Additional Language, might take only one extra subject after consulting with the Head of Sixth Form and Director of Teaching and Learning, though this is an exception.

Whatever subjects are chosen, we aim to inspire our students and provide them with qualifications that enhance their CV, whether they pursue a path to conservatoire, university or something different entirely.

As with GCSEs, A Level subjects are arranged in blocks. When selecting a subject, students will need to pick two subjects from different blocks.

RSL Diploma in Creative Music Industries

From September 2026, The Purcell School will offer the RSL Level 3 Diploma in Creative Music Industries as a two-year Sixth Form pathway for students aged 16–19 (Years 12 and 13). As the UK’s oldest specialist music school, Purcell is the only specialist music school currently offering this industry-focused qualification.

The RSL Diploma is a nationally recognised vocational course designed to reflect the realities of today’s music industry. It offers a practical, project-based alternative to traditional academic routes, with assessment through coursework rather than exams.

Students specialise in one of four pathways:

• Jazz and Commercial Performance
• Classical Performance
• Composition
• Music Production

Applicants working across a range of styles, including crossover genres, are welcome and will be supported within the pathway that best reflects their primary focus.

Alongside developing advanced skills in their chosen specialism, students gain broader industry knowledge, including collaboration, recording and production techniques, creative entrepreneurship, self-promotion, event planning and understanding how musicians build sustainable careers.

The Diploma includes two study options. Students may enrol on the subsidiary diploma alongside A Levels in one or two other subjects, or choose the extended diploma, which is a single vocational qualification equivalent in size to three A Levels.

The programme is led by Andrew Williams, Head of Academic Music, and integrates fully with Purcell’s wider musical life, facilities and performance opportunities.

This pathway is ideal for students who wish to combine high-level musical training with a realistic, forward-looking preparation for higher education and professional music careers.

This pathway is intended for students who wish to combine high-level musical training with a realistic, forward-looking preparation for higher education and professional music careers.

Additional information about the RSL Diploma is available here.