Music specialist places

The Academy has a specialism in Music and, consequently, it can offer up to 10% of places (6 places) each academic year to children applying for a Reception place.

These places are aimed at those children who demonstrate a gifted musical aptitude and children will be required to actively participate in the musical workshop in order to be considered for a place.

In order to be invited to the music workshops, parents need to submit a completed supplementary form by the deadline date.  The form can be found on our Admissions page.  

Intake 2026

For entry into Reception in September 2026 the deadline for the supplementary form is 3.30pm on Friday 5 December 2025.

The music workshops will take place on the morning Friday 12 December 2025 and applicants will be invited to a short session on one of these dates.  The time to attend will be advised by e-mail or letter approximately 2 school days after the supplementary form deadline. If you have not received this information by Wednesday 10 December 2025, please contact Admissions by:

e-mail: admissions@dixonsta.com

telephone: 01274 089780 - option 7

Music workshop criteria and scoring

There is no advance preparation required for the workshops.  The criteria that applicants will be scored against will be given to parents on the day of the workshop.

Children will be given a score based on their performance in each element of the workshop.  Children will be ranked in the order of their total combined scores, with those children who score the highest being ranked from 1 to 6. A reserve list of up to 2 children will then operate should any of those ranked in the top 6 not require a place. If there are insufficient children who demonstrate the required aptitude to qualify for a music place, then fewer than 6 places will be offered.  Scores of 24 and above out of a maximum of 40 (with an average of 6 out of 10 for each activity) are considered as demonstrating the required level of musical aptitude to qualify for a music place.

Children who are not offered a music place will still be considered for one of the remaining places, along with all other children.