GCSE options - music withdrawn - what should child do?

[GCSEmusichelp]

Hello - name changed for this as identifying.

We have two girls at the same large comprehensive - year 8 and year 10. School has always prided itself on balanced curriculum and offered lots of Arts subjects. Both my girls enjoy music and drama and it has been a given that they would be able to study the GCSEs there. DD1 already is in both cases.

During Covid the school lost its main music teacher. DD2 was incredibly sad about this as she loves music most, and wants (probably not definitely) to be a musician of some type. Of course older years were prioritised for what music teacher time they had. Her class has had supply teachers taking music all this year, and it has been very very dull.

The school does its GCSE options picking in Year 8 for Year 9. As a result of the lack of interesting lessons, only four children in the entire school have picked GCSE music, and predictably the school will not run with this number.

DD2 is very sad and angry. She feels that the school deprioritised her favourite subject and now no-one wants to take it. The school has had no concerts or performance opportunities, and has lost its orchestra and many ensembles.

Dance, drama and sport are very 'visible' but music is no longer mentioned or promoted - because no teacher.

A new teacher has now been hired. The school is offering her GCSE music after school as a result. However, they didn't see through their last 'twilight' subject (pulled it after a year) and with four children interested I'm not sure they will see through this one.

She's also worried about the fact that the school's other music offerings are now so underwhelming.

For context, she probably doesn't need the GCSE to take A-Level (though she would need to learn to compose). She is preparing for grade 8 on her main instrument (has grade 7) and is grade 5 and 6 on her two others. She also sings and has grade 5 theory.

She chose the GCSE because she couldn't imagine not having music in her day - so I think will be a bit sad if it continues to decline.

Her options are basically
a) take the twilight option and stay at the school - she's broadly happy but not amazingly so. It is the 'devil you know' in terms of school and her sister has been well served there.
b) find a school with better music nearby - we are in London so have options - and hope she settles and has better opportunities
c) Drop music GCSE and assume she can take A-Level with her instrumental grades and a bit of composition tuition?

What would people do in her situation? She's only 12, so this feels very early to be thinking about A-Levels etc but I guess we have to be realistic.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Yes, I'm aware it doesn't count with admissions - might be helpful at appeal though...

Honestly? GCSE Music won’t be much of a challenge to a clearly very able and talented musician. I wouldn’t move schools for that reason alone. If she is happy overall with her other subjects and her friends etc it’s a bit of a gamble to move.

It’s so sad that music doesn’t always get the priority it deserves. So frustrating.

options you could maybe consider, rather than the gcse she could do grade 6 theory, this is a useful exam anyway (way more useful than gcse imo) that is a prerequisite for the Abrsm teaching diplomas and covers composition. She could also maybe consider an open university music certificate in lieu of the A level.

good luck.

I sympathise. I'm a music teacher and the pandemic and curtailing of performance opportunities has been soul-destroying. That said, my "new this year" y7/8 choir now has around 25 stalwarts and is up against sports clubs. The main orchestra has around 40 players and I started a junior one in September which has around 20 players, again up against sports clubs. It is possible and I know I am lucky in that my Head is very pro-Music.

It is worth looking at other schools IMO. However, nobody yet has mentioned taking Music GCSE externally. One of my old uni friends teaches this to students from all over the place online. If you think this might be of interest, PM me and I'll find the name of his organisation.

Thank you. I will pm you Malbecfan as that is a good point. We have started researching other schools and I've put in some applications. It is actually really sad because as a family, our preference has always been to send the children to the nearest school; and work with it if anything did go wrong, rather than to run away.

But I worry that i'm in danger of becoming that 'bloody music mum' (and I'm not even musical!), who complains about this when the school clearly feels it is irrelevant when there are actual important things to deal with - like mental health and year 11s.

It's not a situation we want to be in for the rest of DD2's time at school (and the wrangling over it will not be good for DD1 either - who is really cross on her sister's behalf).

The new head of music has still not actually spoken to DD2 about this, or ever heard her play an instrument or sing. This doesn't bode particularly well, though of course I understand she's busy with Year 11. Hopefully one of the other local options will have space and might grab DD's attention - because of course it is quite hard to have the discussion about something else being 'better' when you don't know what the 'better' might be.

Sadly my DC's school is similar. It's a one-person music department, and that person is (IMO) burnt out and has a very narrow focus. No orchestra or other ensembles available. GCSE music was not offered to the current year tens due to low take-up. My elder DC is strongly considering music A level, and so applied to a conservatoire junior department. They have quite a strong academic music focus, and I think will prepare her for A level well (she starts there in September when she's in year 11). Might that work for your DC?

If she’s doing plenty of music outside school I really wouldn’t worry. I did music GCSE and A Level and I think the only things that aren’t covered in the ABRSM exams that you might learn at school are about the different musical styles and period (these are covered in ABRSM aural exams but not enough). So do lots of listening (classic fm is great), get to know different composers and how to recognise different styles. And if she’s really talented, look at one of the junior conservatoires at RAM/RCM etc.

That's sad too @theTurn0ftheScrew - i do feel sorry for these teachers - it's been a horrid few years and i'm sure they are feeling overworked and underpaid.

Dd has a Saturday school that isn't a million miles from being a JD - they don't offer the actual GCSE at present but are looking at how they can support her.

She's not keen on changing that at all - feels far more at home there than at actual school I think, so I don't think would want to audition elsewhere. Sounds like it will work really well for your DD though - she's done well to get this far with so little encouragement from school.

Did you take your GCSE a while ago @LindaEllen? I would be interested to know if A Level is currently a huge step up from GCSE (given that all A Levels are a step-up, of course).

GCSES have changed dramatically. My two kids have both taken gcse music in the last few years. Neither found it easy and both aspire to musical careers.

I would move schools. Twilight GCSEs aren't a great way to manage things and you'll certainly have a school with strong music activities somewhere nearby. Could she try for a music scholarship at an independent?