If you have enjoyed GCSE Music you should consider continuing the subject in the Sixth Form. Class sizes are small, lessons are a mix of practical and written tasks, and with 35% of the course based on performance, you can get credit for the instrumental or vocal skills you have developed outside of the classroom. We follow the AQA (7272) specification. This is a two-year linear A Level that was first taught in 2016 and Godolphin students have consistently achieved excellent results. As an A Level music student, you will be expected to play a full part in the extra-curricular opportunities available as these develop the skills assessed in all parts of the course. Typically this will amount to around three rehearsals a week during term time, on top of your academic homework. You may also wish to lead an ensemble of your own and full support is provided for this. We are proud of the many Old Dolphins who have gone on to study Music at university and music college or take up a choral scholarship alongside another course. Music Department staff are highly qualified to advise on higher education options in this field. Nonetheless, every year we have students who have career plans in non-musical fields who find their Music studies highly rewarding.
For popular courses such as Economics, English Literature, History, Medicine, or Psychology, all of the competitive universities require at least grade AAA at A Level or, usually, a score of 37-39 IB points; the most competitive require A*AA (or even occasionally A*A*A) or 7 points in one or more HL subject. Universities such as Bath, Bristol, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, UCL and Warwick may also require A*AA or 7 points in an HL subject for courses in Sciences, Engineering or Mathematics; a few of these courses will require IB students to have 7 points in a specific HL Science or Mathematics and A Level students to have A* in a specific Science or Mathematics. Cambridge currently requires a minimum of A Level grades of A*AA for all Arts courses and for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, and A*A*A for all Science courses, Computer Science and Economics. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 40-42 points, including 776 in the three Higher Level subjects. In practice, however, higher (or lower) offers are sometimes made to both A Level and IB students; these are decided on an individual basis. Oxford currently requires A Level grades of AAA for all Arts courses and for Human Sciences, A*AA for most Science courses, Economics and Management, Geography, and Psychology, Philosophy & Linguistics, and A*A*A for Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics courses. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 38-40 points with 666-776 in the three Higher Level subjects. Unlike at Cambridge, these entry requirements are standardised across the university and are rarely raised or lowered.
The qualification is comprised of three externally assessed units: Listening Exam (40% of the total marks) A written paper based on a playlist of recordings which you control yourself and listen to with headphones, lasting 2h30m, taken in June of Upper Sixth. Questions vary from 1-mark multiple choice to a 30-mark essay. The content of this exam is: AoS 1 – Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910: Baroque Concertos (Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach), The Operas of Mozart (focusing on The Marriage of Figaro) and The Piano Music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg. AoS 3 – Music for Media (Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman, Bernard Herrmann, Michael Giacchino, Nobuo Uematsu) This is film and computer game music. AoS 4 – Music for Theatre (Kurt Weill, Richard Rogers, Stephen Sondheim, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Jason Robert Brown) This is a 20th and 21st-century musical theatre repertoire. Performing (35% of the total marks) You work towards a 10-minute, Grade 8 distinction standard solo or ensemble performance on an instrument or voice (recorded in March of Upper Sixth). You have a free choice of repertoire and prepare this independently with the support of your instrumental/vocal teacher. Regular lessons and daily practice are essential to achieve a high mark. Performance opportunities throughout the course (such as lunchtime recitals and class concerts) will enable you to develop your skills. Composing (25% of the total marks) One free composition (in any style) and two chorale harmonisation exercises (in the style of Bach) were both completed between September and Easter of Upper Sixth. Scores (created using Sibelius) of these must be submitted along with a programme note explaining your process and intentions. The total length of these composition tasks must be at least 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Lower Sixth composition lessons are spent developing the skills required for these tasks, with more focused] composition briefs and structured harmonisation activities.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Girls |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Unknown |
| Sixth Form Fee | £26,831 |
| Address | Iffley Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 0PG |
If you have enjoyed GCSE Music you should consider continuing the subject in the Sixth Form. Class sizes are small, lessons are a mix of practical and written tasks, and with 35% of the course based on performance, you can get credit for the instrumental or vocal skills you have developed outside of the classroom. We follow the AQA (7272) specification. This is a two-year linear A Level that was first taught in 2016 and Godolphin students have consistently achieved excellent results. As an A Level music student, you will be expected to play a full part in the extra-curricular opportunities available as these develop the skills assessed in all parts of the course. Typically this will amount to around three rehearsals a week during term time, on top of your academic homework. You may also wish to lead an ensemble of your own and full support is provided for this. We are proud of the many Old Dolphins who have gone on to study Music at university and music college or take up a choral scholarship alongside another course. Music Department staff are highly qualified to advise on higher education options in this field. Nonetheless, every year we have students who have career plans in non-musical fields who find their Music studies highly rewarding.
For popular courses such as Economics, English Literature, History, Medicine, or Psychology, all of the competitive universities require at least grade AAA at A Level or, usually, a score of 37-39 IB points; the most competitive require A*AA (or even occasionally A*A*A) or 7 points in one or more HL subject. Universities such as Bath, Bristol, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, UCL and Warwick may also require A*AA or 7 points in an HL subject for courses in Sciences, Engineering or Mathematics; a few of these courses will require IB students to have 7 points in a specific HL Science or Mathematics and A Level students to have A* in a specific Science or Mathematics. Cambridge currently requires a minimum of A Level grades of A*AA for all Arts courses and for Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, and A*A*A for all Science courses, Computer Science and Economics. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 40-42 points, including 776 in the three Higher Level subjects. In practice, however, higher (or lower) offers are sometimes made to both A Level and IB students; these are decided on an individual basis. Oxford currently requires A Level grades of AAA for all Arts courses and for Human Sciences, A*AA for most Science courses, Economics and Management, Geography, and Psychology, Philosophy & Linguistics, and A*A*A for Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics courses. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 38-40 points with 666-776 in the three Higher Level subjects. Unlike at Cambridge, these entry requirements are standardised across the university and are rarely raised or lowered.
The qualification is comprised of three externally assessed units: Listening Exam (40% of the total marks) A written paper based on a playlist of recordings which you control yourself and listen to with headphones, lasting 2h30m, taken in June of Upper Sixth. Questions vary from 1-mark multiple choice to a 30-mark essay. The content of this exam is: AoS 1 – Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910: Baroque Concertos (Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach), The Operas of Mozart (focusing on The Marriage of Figaro) and The Piano Music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg. AoS 3 – Music for Media (Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman, Bernard Herrmann, Michael Giacchino, Nobuo Uematsu) This is film and computer game music. AoS 4 – Music for Theatre (Kurt Weill, Richard Rogers, Stephen Sondheim, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Jason Robert Brown) This is a 20th and 21st-century musical theatre repertoire. Performing (35% of the total marks) You work towards a 10-minute, Grade 8 distinction standard solo or ensemble performance on an instrument or voice (recorded in March of Upper Sixth). You have a free choice of repertoire and prepare this independently with the support of your instrumental/vocal teacher. Regular lessons and daily practice are essential to achieve a high mark. Performance opportunities throughout the course (such as lunchtime recitals and class concerts) will enable you to develop your skills. Composing (25% of the total marks) One free composition (in any style) and two chorale harmonisation exercises (in the style of Bach) were both completed between September and Easter of Upper Sixth. Scores (created using Sibelius) of these must be submitted along with a programme note explaining your process and intentions. The total length of these composition tasks must be at least 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Lower Sixth composition lessons are spent developing the skills required for these tasks, with more focused] composition briefs and structured harmonisation activities.
