ST CUTHBERT’S High School has been rewarded for making sweet music.

The tuneful Berrys Lane school offers all students opportunities to learn musical instruments.

And teachers also encourage youngsters to become involved in a wide range of different musical experiences throughout their time in school.

The efforts have led to St Cuthberts being selected to become a Music Mark School Member for 2019-2020.

From a curriculum point of view, the school aims to teach music in a practical, no-nonsense, performance-led style.

Theory, composition and performance skills are all developed through playing instruments – brass instruments (cornet and trombone), piano/keyboard, ukulele, singing and music technology are all implemented into the curriculum.

By year 9, the aim is for students to have already gained in-depth experience with these instruments.

Students who wish to develop heir skills further have free access to music clubs, so keyboard club and ukulele club (which run every week on Tuesday and Thursday) are open for all.

The school also has a rock band and brass band and offer one-to-one lessons in brass, woodwind, bass guitar, guitar,strings and drums.

In the past few months they have played Christmas music in supermarkets for Christmas and visited Parr Mount Court residential home to play a concert for the residents.

Students are also looking forward to contributing the annual arts festival and hosting an annual music festival.

The school band will be spending the day at Valley Brass for a musical performance workshop.

David Conlan, teacher of music, said: “This is a very exciting time for the Music Department at St Cuthbert’s.

“By becoming a member of the Music Mark, our music education will continue to strengthen and will provide us with the opportunity to access additional resources and support from regional and national news and events as well as training courses and CPD activities for our staff which in turn will benefit our students.”

Speaking after receiving the award head teacher, Catherine Twist, added: “We are absolutely delighted that the value we place on music as a school has been recognised by being nominated by our local Music Hub to join what is becoming a growing number of Music Mark School Members.”

The Music Mark is awarded to schools that recognise the value of music as part of the curriculum and within their school community.

n sthelensstar.co.uk