Springwood High School has been appointed Lead School for West Norfolk by the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub for the second year running.
The King’s Lynn school has also been nominated for the Music Mark of Recognition for Ambition and Quality in Music Education, giving its music department a second piece of recognition.
As Lead School, Springwood helps promote and support music education across the area, working with other schools and acting as a point of contact for staff looking for advice or support.
Robin Norman, Director of Music at Springwood and across the West Norfolk Academies Trust, said: “As part of the most recent National Plan for Music Education, Music Hubs are requested to appoint ‘lead schools’ who excel in areas of music education, with the aim of demonstrating outstanding music provision.
“In our role, we are asked to support activities in our local area and also work with other schools as required, and be a point of contact for other schools if they want support in any area. We also welcome other school Music staff and leaders to Springwood to see what can be achieved.
“To be asked to continue for a second year is wonderful and legitimises all the work we are doing, not just in Springwood itself, but in the wider music community, working with the Hub and other partners to give opportunities to all the young people of West Norfolk, and further afield.”
Springwood says 12.5 per cent of its pupils currently take instrumental or singing lessons, compared with a national figure of around eight per cent.
The school has also seen the number of students studying GCSE and A-Level Music rise by around 100 per cent since the pandemic, with additional courses introduced to meet demand.
Mr Norman said: “These figures are, I’m sure, part of the reason we have won the awards we have. At a time when Music education is struggling nationally, we are actively increasing our take up and provision.”
Springwood was nominated for the Music Mark recognition by the Norfolk and Suffolk Music Hub.
Mr Norman added: “We work incredibly hard at Springwood, and across the whole West Norfolk Academies Trust, to give a quality Music education to all our students, and to give them fantastic opportunities and experiences in Music. This award does, we feel, offer real credibility to what we are trying to do.”
