GCSE Music questions

[FiveHoursSleep]

DD1 is doing GCSE music and the school pays 50% of their in school music lessons.
Is this a constant % for all schools? And do they do similar with A level?
DD2 also wants to do Music but has two out of school instruments (piano/ trombone) and takes singing lessons in school. Is singing an okay 'instrument' for this course?

Dd also doing GCSE music. No percentage off in school music lessons is given at her school ( a friends child doing GCSE has lessons in school and he gets no money off).. so I'm impressed with your school. Dd has 2 instrument lessons outside of school.
Voice or singing is seen as an instrument for GCSE isn't it ? So I reckon your dd2 would qualify there too

Really? I thought it was a nationwide thing!
Do any other schools do this?

Ds did voice for Music GSCE, although he used his violin for the Ensemble bit of performance module. Their music lessons are subsidised by the Council, certainly cheaper than any private lessons I've ever organised. They are not free though even if it he is doing the GSCE. I80 for ten lessons of 30 mins each.

Even if he does lessons outside school he can still use it for the performance module, and our school would have managed to get any instrument whether taken outside school or not, into the school orchestra for the Ensemble section.

Our lessons are normally about £180 a term but the school is paying half for GCSE music students. Am thinking it's quite odd now!

It is odd - lucky you!

dd did GCSE Music, but no contribution from the school towards lessons. Same with my nieces at a different school. I wouldn't expect it to be honest - think you are very unusual and also lucky

We are very lucky, we get in school lessons on main instrument free from GCSE up :)

Singing is a perfectly acceptable instrument. I must say my 3 didn't sing for their performance ( though it maybe their strongest instrument esp the girls) . Wise I think because, though all styles are allowed I think as choristers who sing like boy trebles I think its too much of a niche field to expect an examiner to " get it" rather than operatic singing of Xfactor stuff. EAsier to master nerves when playing and instrument too I think.

Its odd though the way they mark it. Ds received a B for his performance module in the GSCE not an A, but he received a Distinction when he sang the same pieces in his Grade 5 exam, (and when they record the performance module they really aim to get the best version, so not so dicey as an exam) So I'm wondering just how they assess voice really. Perhaps they were looking for a less technical more heartfelt performance in the GSCE than ABRSM. [although saying that, DS certainly does give "heart" when he sings]

Are you in Essex? It's the same here.

Our place have this term had to change (I only know because of letters given to students!). Apparently we used to subsidise a lot of the instrument lesson costs. Due to the squeeze on budget those taking lessons now have to pay 1/2 the cost, GCSE and A Level students get one instrument free but have to pay 1/2 fee on 2nd instrument/voice

Blimey - I wish our school did this! I'm paying £195 for piano lessons this term... There are only 14 doing music GCSE in DD's year, but the school is completely skint and there were a load of redundancies last term,

No not in Essex, Hertfordshire.
There are about 30 girls doing GCSE music in our school, but many more learn an instrument.

Ds's private lessons are free for Yr 10 and 11 now he is doing GCSE music. Before they were £50 a term.

Our school doesn't subsidise for GCSE/A level but does in general. Another local school does free lessons on one instrument for GCSE but charges more than double for lessons. I've benefitted far more from this policy!

They do look for different things to Grades, it's not an exact comparison

lucky and quite rare, no subsidies of any kind here

Just found out last night at DS school that the music lessons are entirely free if they choose music at GCSEs and A level. DS is not musical but we visited the school for DD who is hoping to join the same school and is musical (playing piano and clarinet, private lessons currently). I thought it was the norm but reading this thread obviously not.