Music

Music at Kingsdale Foundation School

Opened in 2008 by internationally renowned saxophonist Courtney Pine, the Mary Graham School of Music is at the heart of the creative life of Kingsdale Foundation School. Music is a thriving, ambitious and inclusive department in which pupils are encouraged to perform, compose, create and develop a lifelong enjoyment of music.

Kingsdale has a long-established reputation for musical excellence and provides pupils with an exceptional range of opportunities both within the curriculum and beyond it. The department has been recognised nationally through Music Mark recognition for 2026–27 and Kingsdale's renewed status as a Southwark Lead School for Music for 2026–27. The department was also Highly Commended in the Outstanding School Music Department category at the Music and Drama Awards in 2026.

Music in the Curriculum

All pupils study Music in Years 7 and 8, developing their skills through performing, composing, listening and music technology.

From Year 9, pupils can choose to specialise further in Music before progressing to GCSE Music in Years 10 and 11. Music is one of the school's most popular option subjects, with approximately 80 pupils choosing the subject each year.

At Sixth Form, Kingsdale offers two specialist pathways:

• A Level Music
• A Level Music Technology

Both courses provide pupils with opportunities to develop advanced musical, creative and technical skills and prepare students for university, conservatoire study and careers within the music and creative industries.

Kingsdale pupils consistently achieve excellent examination outcomes. We regularly enter the largest cohort nationally in GCSE Music, while A Level Music and Music Technology students regularly achieve outstanding results and progress to prestigious institutions including the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

Music Scholarships and Instrumental Tuition

Music Scholarships form a major part of musical life at Kingsdale.

The school supports an extensive programme of free instrumental and vocal tuition, enabling hundreds of young musicians to receive individual specialist teaching each week.

Lessons are delivered by a large team of professional visiting instrumental and vocal teachers covering a wide range of orchestral, contemporary, jazz and world-music instruments.

All pupils receiving instrumental or vocal lessons are considered part of the school's Music Scholar community and are encouraged to participate fully in the wider musical life of the school.

Kingsdale is also an examination centre for major practical music examination boards, including ABRSM, Trinity College London and London College of Music.

Information about applying for a Music Scholarship can be found on the school's Scholarships page.

Ensembles and Performance

Music at Kingsdale extends far beyond the classroom. Pupils can participate in an extensive programme of ensembles, rehearsals, concerts, workshops and performances throughout the year.

The department supports more than 30 ensembles, representing a wide range of musical styles and traditions. Opportunities include:

• Orchestra
• Big Band and Jazz ensembles
• Concert bands and wind ensembles
• String ensembles
• Choirs and vocal groups
• Steel Pan ensembles
• Rock and pop bands
• Folk and traditional music ensembles
• Percussion groups
• Chamber ensembles
• Songwriting and contemporary music projects

There are opportunities for musicians at every stage of development, from pupils beginning an instrument to highly advanced performers.

The Kingsdale Symphony Orchestra, established in 2024, brings together many of the school's most accomplished instrumentalists to perform major orchestral repertoire with students from other local schools.

Kingsdale's ensembles regularly perform both within school and at external festivals, competitions and prestigious venues. Recent achievements include Platinum Awards at the National Concert Band Festival for the Kingsdale Big Band, an invitation to perform at the national finals at the Royal Northern College of Music, and success for the school's Steel Pan Ensemble at Classorama.

Pupils have also taken part in international performance tours, including performances in the United States and Belgium, alongside concerts and competitions throughout the UK.

Outstanding Facilities and Music Technology

Pupils work in the purpose-built Mary Graham School of Music, providing specialist facilities for performance, composition, recording and music technology.

Facilities include:

• Specialist Music classrooms
• Dedicated practice and rehearsal rooms
• A professional recording studio
• A large performance and rehearsal space
• Dedicated Steel Pan facilities
• Drum kits, amplifiers, keyboards and specialist performance equipment
• More than 50 Apple iMac workstations
• Logic Pro and MuseScore
• MIDI keyboards and digital music-production equipment

Music technology is embedded throughout the curriculum, enabling pupils to develop experience of sequencing, recording, production, composition and sound design from an early stage.

At Sixth Form, students studying A Level Music Technology have extensive access to professional-standard recording and production facilities.

Concerts, Events and Musical Life

Music plays an important role in the wider life of Kingsdale.

Throughout the year pupils participate in a busy programme of concerts, festivals, productions, competitions, workshops and community performances.

Regular highlights include the school's major Summer Music Festival, orchestral concerts, jazz performances, percussion events, musical theatre productions and the annual Year 7 Carol Service, involving hundreds of pupils.

Music also contributes extensively to school events including assemblies, celebrations and Kingsdale's International Culture Day.

Through partnerships with local schools and music organisations, Kingsdale musicians regularly participate in workshops, outreach projects and collaborative performances across Southwark and beyond.

Progression and Musical Success

Former Kingsdale musicians have progressed to leading conservatoires, universities and careers within the professional music industry, reflecting the school's long tradition of supporting talented young musicians while ensuring that high-quality musical opportunities remain accessible to all.

Whether a pupil is discovering music for the first time, learning an instrument, producing music on a computer, performing with friends or preparing for professional musical study, our aim is to provide every young person with opportunities to participate, create, perform and achieve.

Music Scholar Information

Current pupils and parents can view instrumental/vocal lesson times and ensemble timetables through the Involve Education system:
app.involveeducation.com

For Music Department enquiries, please contact:
musicstaff@kingsdale.southwark.sch.uk

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