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PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PROGRAMMES (PIPS AND SIPS)

Our specialist music programmes develop our primary and secondary students' understanding and knowledge of all things musical, from theory to practise.
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Primary and secondary instrumental programmes

These lessons are an integral part of our students' timetable and are in addition to curriculum music lessons.

 

The sessions cover:

 

The development of these skills encourages teamwork and emotional and academic intelligence. 

 

Years 2-4 have the choice of learning violins, violas, and cellos.

 

Years 5-6 have the choice of learning trumpets, trombones, French horns, tenor horns, euphoniums, baritones, flutes, clarinets, and saxophones. 

 

Years 7-9 have a choice of learning a range of orchestral and band instruments.

FAQs

  • How does the Individual Instrumental Programme differ from PIPS & SIPS?
    BSKL offers individual instrumental tuition within the parameters of our daily school timetable. These lessons are charged as an additional expense to school fees and rotate through the week. Fully experienced and qualified tutors and interns are invited to teach classes to students seeking individual instrumental lessons. These lessons are independent of PIPS & SIPS.
  • Who teaches this programme?
    Qualified and committed tutors with flair and experience have been invited to share their expertise to enhance this provision. Our tutors have worked alongside other privately funded local children’s orchestras, supporting and directing end of term productions, concerts and a variety of other platforms.
  • Are the children able to take the PIPS & SIPS instruments home?
    The purchasing and maintenance of school instruments is proportionately budgeted by Nord Anglia Education. These instruments remain on our campus at all times, unless a performance requiring our ensembles to travel is scheduled to an alternative venue. Parents of children wishing to pursue the purchase of an instrument should approach the music department, who will be able to assist with your enquiries. For those students that excel in PIPS and SIPS lessons they can be nominated for the Allegro Award by their tutors which allows them to take a school instrument home to practice on weekends.
  • Can PIPS & SIPS prepare our children for the ABRSM or other Music examinations?
    These programmes are not, by any means, a preparation platform for children wishing to prepare themselves for a music examination outside of BSKL but the school is a centre for ABRSM examinations. The experiences learnt from attending these classes and the application of focus and concentration practised will certainly benefit any individual wishing to challenge a music examination, however, preparing for such an event is individual and specific, according to the programme of the syllabus and the strategic lesson plans offered by a private teacher. PIPS & SIPS are weekly school group classes, with particular and selective goals, insight of our own repertoire and lesson plans, with different trends and levels of achievement.
  • How does the BSKL Music Department decide which instruments to implement in this programme?
    Apart from the educational learning curve detailed in this menu of information, the general direction and intention of PIPS & SIPS  is to build the solid foundation of a primary orchestra, incorporating traditional instruments such as strings (violin and cello), woodwind (flute, clarinet and saxophone) and brass (trumpet, tenor horn, baritone, euphonium, trombone). Year classes are allocated certain instruments according to their potential ability, age and physique, recommended by experienced and qualified staff. The repertoire devised for this programme is designed for this specific combination of instruments.
  • Can my child change instruments later in the term or academic year?
    Once the choice of instrument has been allocated and confirmed, students must follow the syllabus through until the end of the school academic year. This commitment ensures an achievement of thorough consistency, exposure, focus and practice.
  • Is there anything I should purchase to prepare and support my child for these lessons?
    PIPS & SIPS is a BSKL programme budgeted by Nord Anglia Education. Instruments and any additional needs will all be provided by the school.
  • What if my child does not read music?
    All students will be introduced to the reading of the stave during these lessons. Reading clef, key and time signatures, note values, rhythmic notation, dynamics and ‘language’ is essential to an all-round appreciation of music, taught in these lessons.