Music
Music is especially strong at the Prep School, and is a deeply enriching feature of the school’s life with over 80% of pupils playing an instrument, many to very high standards reaching grade 6 and above in examinations, and some achieving regional and national places in orchestras and choirs. In years 3 and 4, the children learn the recorder at no additional cost. There are regular concerts and at any time there are a considerable number of ensembles in rehearsal so that as many children as possible gain pleasure from the experience of shared music-making. We are able to field an orchestra of very considerable size and quality, whilst there is a long tradition of choral music, much of which is based around the chapel, and regular tours have been undertaken.
Tuition is available on all orchestral instruments, singing, piano, electric guitar, bass guitar, classical guitar, and percussion. There is no reason why a tall enough pianist of some ability should not also learn the organ – we have a magnificent three-manual pipe organ in the school chapel!
Altogether, it is difficult to imagine that a school could offer more breadth of opportunity for individual or group music making and, certainly, our prime objective is to help young people to enjoy their music making to the full.