Excellence Through Opportunity
The Transformative Power of Music
Wrekin has a reputation in music performance nationally that is genuinely second to none. Over the past decade it has become nationally renowned for the standard of its Music and the national awards the school has attained verifies this. Since 2020 the school has attained eight national platinum awards for it’s Concert Band (four) and Jazz Band (four) from the National Concert Band Festival (NCBF) national finals and eleven regional Platinum awards. Platinum is the highest award you can be given at the NCBF festival which is the largest festival of its’ kind in Europe and which attracts the very best school bands from across the UK.
2026 saw our Chapel Choir make the finals of the Barnardo's Youth Choir of the Year for the fifth time and the fourth consecutive year. In 2026 they gained one of three first prizes awarded at the Competition against 14 other youth choirs from all over the UK. The Music Department is also proud to have been shortlisted for the Performing Arts School of the Year Award on numerous occasions. It has also received 3 ISM national awards for their GCSE and A level results, with numerous pupils gaining places at leading UK conservatoires and in 2025, for the first time, a music undergraduate place at Oxford University.
Performance for All
Performance opportunities range from large-scale formal events such as our summer and Christmas concerts, to our informal evening soirees. In some cases these give our musicians their first experience at performing in front of an audience. In addition to this the school has an enviable reputation at both performing in and hosting musical competitions and festivals. These festivals provide a tangible and exciting performance goal, whilst also being excellent preparation for those pupils who have career ambitions within the music industry. Every year Wrekin hosts and enters pupils in our own Young Musician of the Year Competition and for numerous national music competitions and festivals. These are also accompanied by music tours which in recent years have seen performances in Prague, at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome and last year at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in New York.
Groups
The music department, led by our Director of Music, Simon Platford MBE, along with an expert team of staff and an extensive team of visiting peripatetic staff, offers a plethora of ensembles and bands. These enable the young musicians at Wrekin to perform not only in many different musical genres but also at a level that challenges, motivates and stimulates them. Whilst we also offer ensembles aimed at our younger Lancaster House pupils, the senior ensembles are open to any age group if the required standard for joining that ensemble has been reached.
The senior instrumental ensembles are The Orchestra, Concert Band and Jazz Band. These provide our advanced players with opportunities to perform a wide range of music from masterpieces of the classical repertoire right through to Jazz standards and Broadway selections. For younger less experienced players there is our Lancaster training band who have their own programme of concerts and events, although Lancasters are very welcome to join our senior ensembles if they have reached the required standard. For those with a more rock and pop-based taste the school runs two bands of this nature. In addition there are also a variety of small chamber groups such as the Brass Group, String Group, Flute Group and Saxophone Group, which are run by specialist peripatetic staff. These focus on honing particular instrumental skills associated with the pupil’s instrument of choice. The number of ensembles, however, is never finite. New groups spring up and in fact are actively encouraged, as musicians develop friendships, new musical interests and wish to work together.
Chapel Choir
Wrekin has long had a tradition of fine singing and this continues to flourish, as any visitor to our annual House Singing competition, held in October, will gladly verify. Weekly congregational singing practice is often a highlight of the school week and involves every pupil, it is here you may hear the aptly named ‘Wrekin Roar’. However, for those who wish to further their vocal talents, opportunities range from our Chapel Choir who rehearse twice a week and has close to one hundred pupils from every school year involved. For younger singers there is also our Lancaster Choir for our Year 7 and 8 pupils. This provides an excellent vocal grounding for pupils and gives them many opportunities to perform repertoire that they have a role in choosing. Outside of school hours there is also a Community Choir for parents, friends, staff and pupils, who meet to rehearse and perform works from the choral repertoire in the Lent term.
Endless Opportunities
Our music calendar provides a huge number of opportunities for our pupils. Master classes with musicians of international repute, performances with other schools, outreach to junior schools and local community groups and performances in concerts and services are an absolutely integral part of the school calendar. On average the school puts on two performances a week in term time. There are also fantastic experiences available for those who have an interest in musical theatre with the 2026 production of ‘The Addams Family’ being a huge success. This is all in addition to a thriving and exciting music curriculum. This involves the study of a wide range of musical styles from around the world and the use of state of the art music software packages. The school is also a thriving examination centre for Trinity College Music Exams which are held termly. Pupils are also entered for examinations with other boards including ABRSM, Rock School, Trinity Rock & Pop and the London College of Music musical theatre exams.