SHUTTLEWORTH College is hitting the right note as it has been selected as the pilot school for Lancashire Music Hub Initiative.

The Padiham school is a keen promoter of the arts and wants to provide opportunities to all students to develop creatively.

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Last year the students were given the chance to learn a musical instrument. As a pilot school, there will be further opportunities in music and its impact will be reported back to the Lancashire Music Hub.

Assistant head teacher Beth Watson, who sits on the strategic board for the Lancashire Music Hub representing secondary schools across the county, said: “Last year we gave all students at Key Stage Three level, Years 7 and 8, the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument as part of their music lessons.

“When I raised this strategy with the Lancashire Music Hub it generated a debate about ways in which we can improve music education in secondary schools, with instrumental lessons being the key focus.

“The benefits of learning to play a musical instrument have been widely acknowledged, improving concentration, motor skills, memory and independence in learning.

“We aim to deliver an outstanding education for all and this includes the provision for the arts as well as academic rigour in the core subjects.”

This year the Padiham school will offer Key Stage Three students the choice of instrument to learn to play and this will take place outside of regular music lessons.

This will mean instrumental lesson groups will be smaller, giving the teachers more time to work with each student and maximize progress.

The programme will be supplemented with encouraged participation in the music department’s enrichment programme which will include orchestra, string groups, a brass band and woodwind group.

Mrs Watson will then report back to the music hub on the successes of the programme and ways in which it can be improved before it is rolled out to other secondary schools.