Peterborough school to ‘transform’ music curriculum thanks to grant

Ormiston Bushfield Academy has received a grant which will allow it to transform its music curriculum.
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Following a successful bid for £35,500 to the Wolfson Foundation, the school, which is sponsored by Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), will use the funding to buy state-of-the-art technology and support a new Level 2 BTEC qualification in Music Practice.

With new computers, software and keyboards, the school will be able to progress from ‘traditional’ instrument-based music courses to those which are more technologically-minded, inclusive and accessible to a wider set of pupils.

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Moreover, the equipment will allow an increase in the potential size of both the GCSE and BTEC courses at the school by 25 places each, with a long term hope being that this extended offer can be enjoyed across all of Key Stage 5.

Ormiston Bushfield AcademyOrmiston Bushfield Academy
Ormiston Bushfield Academy

The technology will complement the school’s deep links with the Peterborough Music Hub and The Guildhall school of Music and Drama, with whom they partnered to create the Peterborough Centre for Young Musicians (PCYM).

The PCYM runs Saturday morning tuition sessions for enthusiastic children and it is hoped that this offer will be able to expand as a result of the new investment.

The school hopes to purchase the new equipment over the summer, meaning that pupils from across the school will be able to benefit from the changes from the beginning of the next academic year in September.

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Dennis Kirwan, principal of Ormiston Bushfield Academy said: “On behalf of everyone at the school I would like to sincerely thank the Wolfson Foundation for their incredible generosity in offering this grant. We have a huge number of talented musical students and I know that this funding will help to unlock and foster that creative potential.

“Our students are enthusiastic and passionate about contemporary music, and I know that by expanding the technology and kit we have that we will be able to harness this in an extremely positive way.”

Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: “The Wolfson Foundation are delighted to award this grant to Ormiston Bushfield Academy.

“We were impressed by the school’s commitment to offering a truly inclusive music curriculum and hope that the project inspires a new generation of students to learn and enjoy music making.”