Impington International College to offer music IB

Cambridgeshire sixth form college Impington International College has announced that it will begin offering its students the chance to study Music at International Baccalaureate (IB) level. The change is effective from September, meaning students will be able to study music in the upcoming 2024-25 academic year.

The decision comes ahead of the UK’s GCSE and A level results days later this month and is set against a backdrop of concerning music education statistics. Last year, the ISM revealed that music GCSE entries have declined by 36% since 2010 and overall uptake of A-level music has fallen by 45% in the UK in the same period. With numbers of students studying music in decline, Impington’s decision to add the subject to its offering is a welcome one.

Eleanor Macleod, the college’s lead music teacher said: ‘I am so excited to be launching Music as a subject offering for our DP students. We are thrilled to be offering students the opportunity to explore music from a range of time periods as well as from different parts of the world, exposing them to music beyond their own worlds.’

Students at Impington can choose to study Music as one of their six IB Diploma Programme (DP) subject choices. In accordance with the IB’s mission to develop students into global citizens, the college will encourage students to explore ‘a diverse range of music from a broad range of countries and cultures’.

Impington music teacher Rhiannon Newsome said: ‘What sets the IB Music subject aside from alternative music qualifications is the integrated style in which music analysis, composition and performance are taught. All of the different disciplines are connected, which will provide students with a comprehensive and broad understanding of music. They will be encouraged to develop their own style of music and explore a broad range of genres.’