Instrument Tuition in City of Edinburgh

As a direct result of the School Council's Parent/Carer Survey (conducted in the summer term last session) parents Fiona Denvir and Bethan McEwan (PTA Clubs Co-ordinators) have organised additional music clubs, including Acapella Choir, Guitar, Spanish Guitar, Fiddle, Recorder and a Music Club. See PTA Clubs for more information.

Some families in the survey expressed an interest in receiving more information about City of Edinburgh Council's Instrumental Music Service. Details about Music provision at Sciennes specifically will be published in due course on the school website. Meanwhile here is a link to the Council's information.

James Gillespie's High School has produced a policy detailing instrumental music tuition in the feeder primary schools and high school which can be found in the POLICIES section of our school website or by clicking here.

Secondary Transition into JGHS: Note for Parents/Carers

"Your child will not be required to audition again in S1 for lessons at James Gillespie’s High School if they received lessons at primary school - their lessons will automatically continue with the appropriate instrumental teacher and they will be contacted at the start of S1.

At James Gillespie’s High School, the expectation is that pupils who embark on learning an instrument in primary school should continue this journey into secondary on the same instrument.
The school instrumental policy states that pupils who have learned an instrument for 18 months or more since the first audition process (if auditioned in P. 4 or 5), have thus entered into the agreement of progressing these skills on this instrument and will hopefully benefit from the skills, teaching and  many opportunities available at secondary level.

If a pupil gives up instrumental lessons after 18 months of learning, or during P.7 (unless auditioned in P6), they will not be given priority for auditioning for an alternative instrument at James Gillespie’s High School. They will be placed on a waiting list and, if a place does become available, will then be called for audition.

Please refer to the JGHS school website and music department for more details."

Information about opportunities between the primary and secondary school in Music is also available on the Sciennes school website> Policies.

Edinburgh Young Musicians

It also emerged through last session's parental survey, organised by the School Council Communications Group, that some parents were interested in pursuing music outwith school. Edinburgh Young Musicians offer Saturday morning Music Classes at local high school St Thomas of Aquin's:

http://www.e-y-m.org.uk/index.htm