Music at the Senior School

Music is immensely important at Eltham College, and I am proud to say that we are now one of the most musical schools in the country, in terms of the percentage of students learning a musical instrument. More than 650 1-1 music lessons and rehearsals of 50 large-and small-scale ensembles take place weekly.

Our Music Department hosts more than 60 concerts and events each year across the Senior and Junior Schools (see the music calendar here), and many hundreds of students perform as soloists or within ensembles over the course of any academic year. We are a busy Department and we celebrate and promote all music-making, from students making their solo debut in an Informal Concert, to performing a solo concerto movement with our Symphony Orchestra at an external concert hall.

Nearly two thirds of all students at Eltham College learn at least one instrument, and we have an extensive team of instrumental and vocal teachers who deliver over 650 individual lessons every week. These lessons take place throughout the school day; students in Year 7-11 have their lessons timetabled on a wide rotation, and students in the Sixth Form have their lessons scheduled within free periods.

The idea of missing academic time for music lessons is something that can worry some parents or students, but we have done extensive research on the academic results of musicians at Eltham College, the results of which should reassure them. The data reveals that students who have 1-1 music lessons achieve higher GCSE grades compared to those who do not. Musical students achieved 0.48 of a grade on average across all subjects in 2022, and 0.49 in 2023.

There are of course many reasons for this, which will differ for every student, but it is clear that learning an instrument within school time does not negatively impact academic results.

It is a true privilege to be at the helm of a Music Department that is genuinely thriving, and that has so many students coming through its doors every day.  Whether you are already a part of what we do, or are looking to be in the future, I really hope that you’ll find this section informative and inspiring.


Sebastian Johns

Director of Music