The Situation
A creative town is losing its music education
Anthony Gell School has announced plans not to offer GCSE Music from September 2025. This would remove the last performing art from the school’s curriculum — following the withdrawal of GCSE Drama last year and Dance the year before that.
In a creative town full of musicians, from a school with a strong musical history, run by an Academy Trust that actively promotes the arts, this is a serious loss — and something worth fighting for.
The Demand
The numbers tell a clear story
Initially, 11 students chose Music in the first round of options. Since then, one student has gathered together 15 pupils who would commit to taking GCSE Music in September — some having had other options removed. This is greater demand than in many previous years.
The school’s own data, provided by Deputy Head Katy Lowe, confirms the subject has run with smaller numbers before:
| Leavers | Students | Exam Board |
|---|---|---|
| 2027/28 (projected) | 15 | — |
| 2025/26 | 11 | WJEC |
| 2024/25 | 6 | OCR |
| 2023/24 | 17 | OCR |
| 2022/23 | 12 | OCR |
| 2021/22 | 13 | OCR |
| 2020/22 | 12 | OCR |
With 15 committed students, this projected cohort is larger than five of the last six years. The subject ran with just 6 students in 2024/25. The demand is clearly there.
What This Means
No performing arts at all
If GCSE Music is not reinstated, Anthony Gell will offer zero performing arts GCSEs. No Music. No Drama. No Dance. For a school in a town renowned for its creative community, this is a profound gap in the curriculum.
We propose that the school reinstate GCSE Music given the clear demand — which is greater than in many previous years.
In a creative town full of musicians, from a school with a strong musical history, this seems a serious loss and something worth fighting for.