Detail

Information

Academic year that this summary covers

2024-25

Date this summary was published

October 2025

Date this summary will be reviewed

September 2025

Name of the school music lead

Mr Andrew Gray

Name of school leadership team member with responsibility for music (if different)

Mrs Emma Salamut-Ward

Name of local music hub

Berkshire Music Trust

Music is taught at KS3 for two lessons per fortnight, at KS4 for five lessons per fortnight and KS5, 9 lessons per fortnight.

The curriculum plan for is published on the school website *here*

In KS3 students have the opportunity to explore performing, composing and appraising through singing, instrumental performance and use of technology.

Singing is a core part of our Year 7 curriculum, with the outcome of our first half term’s work being a Year 7 concert involving the whole year group.

In all years students have the opportunity  to perform on piano and ukulele as well as other instruments that they may play or bring in from home.

At KS4 we run the Edexcel GCSE music specification and at KS5 we follow the AQA A level specification. We also run a Grade 5 theory club to support students with external theory examinations.

The Holt School has a strong partnership with Berkshire Music Trust. We have a number of instrumental teachers who come in teaching the following: Voice, Piano, Guitar, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Violin, Viola, Drum kit. Where there is demand for other instruments, we work to make teachers available in school to provide this. Lessons are provided on a 1:1 or small group basis.

Fees for instrumental, vocal tuition and instrument hire with Berkshire Music Trust can be found here

The Holt School offers free group tuition on any instrument or voice for all students in receipt of Pupil Premium funding. For information on how to take up this offer please contact Mr Gray (a.gray@holt.wokingham.sch.uk)

We have a range of ensembles that students can join which rehearse at lunchtimes and after school:

–       Holt Singers (Wednesday lunch)

–       Jazz Band (Monday lunch)

–       Orchestra (Thursday lunch)

–       Piano Duet club (Tuesday lunch)

–       Grade 5 Theory Club (Thursday after school)

This year we are also rehearsing for a whole school production of Les Miserables, there are regular rehearsals at lunchtime and after school outlined on the rehearsal schedule on daily briefing.

The school has five practice rooms which can be used at lunchtimes for independent practice, these can be booked with one of the music teachers.

There are a number of musical events students can take part in throughout the year. Regular events include:

Year 7 Concert (October)
Year 11 Concert (November)
Christmas Concert (December)
Piano Concert (January)
School Musical (March)
Spring Concert (April)
Holt Young Musician of the Year (June/July)

The winner of our Holt Young Musician of the Year event, is given the opportunity to be our school’s representative in the Rotary Young Musician of the Year competition held in November.

As well as these evening events there are opportunities for students to perform in presentation assemblies at the end of each term.

We also partner with Berkshire Music Trust for county-wide events, including the recent Senior Music Festival (Summer 2024).

A range of trips are on offer throughout the year linking to curriculum topics as well as opportunities to see live concerts which we feel develop the students’ cultural capital.

Trips often include (but are subject to suitable performance dates):
– Year 9 and 10 trip to ‘Wicked’ (linking to the Edexcel GCSE syllabus)
– Year 7 and 8 trip to see a professional orchestra in a film music concert.

These trips have a cost to students but school discounts are always sought. Students in receipt of Pupil Premium funding can go on these trips free of charge.

Other live performance opportunities include biennial recitals with Quintessentially Wind to Year 7 and 8 to introduce woodwind instruments. These performances are free of charge.

In the future we intend to improve opportunities for solo recital experience for instrumentalists and singers, through a series of informal lunchtime recitals. These are likely to begin in the summer term.

We are looking into further opportunities to enter our musical ensembles into local competitions to give further chances to aim towards specific goals and receive recognition for these achievements.