Staffing
Mrs Keeler: Curriculum Leader
Miss Desmond: Teacher
Mr Depledge: Music Technology
Mrs Babbinghton - Singing
Mr Cavell - Woodwind
Mrs Evison - Lower Woodwind
Mrs Dawson - Upper Strings
Mrs Roulson - Lower Strings
Mr Linsley - Brass
Miss Russell/Mr Lunn - Percussion
Mrs Ess - Keyboard
Mr Maddocks - Guitar
We are a brilliantly resourced department with two main teaching rooms and a smaller 6th form teaching area, an industry standard Pro-Tools recording studio and 8 practice rooms. The department uses 59 iMacs split between the 3 teaching rooms and 1 in each of the practice rooms. We also have four drum kits, samba band kit, steel pans, belleplates, African djembes and a full range of classroom percussion instruments.
The department has a "real buzz" to it both within lessons and in the many and varied extra-curricular activities. Students choose to spend much of their free time either taking part in one of the ensembles or simply coming to use the computers or team up with other students to form musical groups and bands. Our aim is to enable students to experience a wide range of music and to learn how to compose, perform and evaluate it. 
Curriculum
Years 7, 8 and 9 follow the standard Key Stage 3 QCA curriculum.
Years 10 and 11 may take either the Level 2 Extended Certificate/Diploma GCSE Music according to musical ability.
Students in the Sixth Form can then follow on with AS/A2 pure music, AS/A2 music technology, Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in either composing or performing, Level 3 Diploma or Level 3 Extended Diploma.
All music students this year have gained places at their first choice university.
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
The Vale is a centre for these exams and students are able to take both practical and theory exams three times a year for each.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The Vale is proud of its many and varied extra-curricular activities and the large numbers of students that participate in them. They include senior and junior brass ensemble, woodwind ensemble, string ensemble, jazz trio, folk band, belleplates, samba band, choir, lads' vocal group, taiko drumming teams, African djembe group and various rock bands from different years.
Success Stories
The Music Department is proud of its many and varied successes over the last two years. The ensembles have both grown in number and quality and we have enjoyed real successes in both the North Lincolnshire Music and Scunthorpe Music Festivals.
We have enjoyed 100% pass rate in both the theory and practical ABRSM examinations. Three of our students have won places to attend the European Music Summer School in the summer. The ensembles have also contributed significantly to our community work by providing music for such occasions as the Mayor's Ball, Christmas Light "Switch-on" events, business events and the Local Authority's conference at Reeds Hotel.
We were particularly proud to have been invited to perform with our choirs on national television for BBC Children in Need and were adopted as the Radio Humberside choir for the competition. Our choirs and instrumentalists also took part in The Cylce Opera in July which was covered by the Aled Jones choir programme on Radio 4 and Look North television.
We have recently established excellent links with Garforth Academy in Leeds, taking part in projects run by both Phoenix Dance Company and Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers. This culminated in an arts showcase at Garforth Academy where our students were able to perform on a bigger stage and for a much wider audience.
The department is also extremely proud of its links with the army bands, particularly the Minden Band who have hosted workshops and joint concerts with our more able musicians.
