At Rainey Endowed, we believe music is for everyone. Through a rich and varied curriculum, pupils develop confidence, creativity and a lifelong appreciation for the arts. From their very first lesson, students are encouraged to listen, compose and perform as active musicians.
Key Stage 3
Our Key Stage 3 programme provides pupils with a broad musical foundation, introducing them to new genres and develop their listening, performing and composition skills to include digital music-making.
What pupils learn
Across Years 8–10, students study a variety of musical traditions and themes, including:
-African Music
-The Orchestra
-Mood Music
-Music for Special Occasions
-Music and Advertising
-Irish Traditional Music
-Songs
-Film Music
-Practical Musicianship
Pupils explore music hands-on through:
-Glockenspiel work to develop pitch and melody skills
-Ukulele work in Years 9 and 10 to strengthen harmonic understanding
-Music Technology, including BandLab Education, to develop composition and digital literacy
All pupils also engage with ‘set works’, helping prepare them for the analytical demands of GCSE Music.
Key Stage 4
At GCSE, students follow the CCEA specification, building on the listening, performing and composing skills developed at Key Stage 3. The GCSE course helps students to:
Explore and appreciate a wide range of musical styles
Perform confidently as soloists and ensemble members
Develop their creativity through composition
Make informed judgements about musical quality
Discover pathways into music-related careers
Foster a lasting enjoyment of music
There four Areas of Study in the GCSE Specification cater for everyone.
Western Classical Music
Musical Traditions in Ireland
Popular Music
Film Music
Assessment Overview
Listening & Appraising – 35%
Performing (solo and ensemble) – 35%
Composing – 30%
A-Level
AS / A2 Level Music (CCEA)
Our A Level Music programme offers students the opportunity to expand their musical knowledge, technical ability and personal expression through performance and composition.
AS Level
Students explore:
– Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic music
– Sacred vocal styles
– Popular musicals
A2 Level
Pupils develop deeper expertise through the study of:
– Twentieth-century orchestral music
– Secular and sacred vocal traditions spanning over 400 years
Career Links
Studying Music doesn’t just open doors to musical careers — it builds skills that are valuable in almost every job. If you love performing and creating, you might choose careers such as performer, composer, producer, sound engineer or music teacher. You could also work in areas like music therapy, events, recording studios, musical theatre or media production.
But Music also prepares you for lots of non‑musical careers.
Music helps you develop confidence, teamwork, communication, creativity and problem‑solving — skills that employers look for in areas like law, medicine, business, marketing, ICT, journalism, psychology and education. Many people who study Music go on to careers in broadcasting, digital content creation, project management, administration, event planning and the wider creative industries.
No matter what you do in the future, Music helps you think creatively, work well with others and communicate ideas clearly — making it a subject that supports your ambitions, whatever path you choose.
Extra Curricular
At Rainey, we offer a wide range of extra curricular activities for our students to get involved with. Each year, the music department have a Christmas and Spring concert to celebrate the musical success of our vast number of extra-curricular programmes. This also creates an opportunity to showcase the outstanding talent of many of our pupils.
Music Tuition
We support the musical journey of our students outside the classroom by offering a wide range of tuition. Tuition is provided by a mixture of Education Authority and Private Music tutors.
Students are encouraged to work towards Trinity College, Rock School or Associated Board Music examinations. However, this is not compulsory – many students learn to play for pleasure!
EDUCATION AUTHORITY MUSIC TUTORS
Mrs C McKay- Upper Strings
Mrs E Sion- Woodwind
Mr D Tohill- Woodwind/Brass
PRIVATE MUSIC TUTORS
Mrs J Moore – Lower Strings
Dr D Culbertson – Singing
Mrs N Logan- Piano
Mr S McFadden – Guitar