Staff and students at a Sutton school have won a prestigious music award.

Overton Grange School on Sutton’s Stanley Road are celebrating being awarded the Music Mark in recognition of their dedication to high quality music education.

The ‘mark’ is awarded by The UK Association for Music Education, which is supported by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).

Your Local Guardian:

This status is awarded to schools who recognise the value of music as part of the curriculum and are actively engaged in improving music education provision within their school community.

The school was nominated for the award by Sutton Music Service, Cognus.

Keith Stride, Headteacher at Overton Grange School said: “This award recognises the hard work and commitment of our staff who provide high quality music education for our students and the fantastic opportunities afforded to them including visiting and joining various orchestras, choirs and performing in school productions.”

Your Local Guardian:

In many state-funded schools, Music has been disappearing from the curriculum.

Research by the University of Sussex in 2018 found that there were 15.4 per cent fewer centres offering A-level music compared to 2016; it found that many schools were abandoning music as a curriculum subject altogether, but that’s not the case at Overton Grange School.

Mr Stride explained: “Music education is as important to us here, today as it’s ever been, and this award is validation of that – I am absolutely delighted that the school has been recognised in this way.”

Rosie Lowe Membership and Events Manager at Music Mark said to the school: “Your dedication to offering and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum is both welcomed and celebrated.”