Pupils rock in performing arts initiative at Lancaster secondary school

Central Lancaster High School is being used in a pilot project for a collaboration with More Music in Morecambe, Lancaster & Morecambe College and the Culture Co-op.

As part of this project, pupils are taking part in animation and music technology workshops at the college accessing technology with tutors and gaining an insight into production roles within the performing arts industry.

Rhian Spence, head of the performing arts department at Central Lancaster High School, said: “We are very lucky to have secured this fantastic opportunity for our pupils to complete their Bronze Arts Award. We are looking forward to developing this project further with all organisations involved.”

The performing arts curriculum offer extends beyond the curriculum at Central Lancaster High School. Pupils across all year groups attended a trip to the musical ‘School of Rock’ in Manchester last month and ‘Everybody’s Talking about Jamie’ in September.

Rhian said: “It’s very important that pupils get to experience live theatre after the last two years of cancellations to performances. These two shows were a fantastic introduction to the pupils, some of whom have never experienced a live theatre performance before.”

When Rhian started working at the school in January 2020, only 30 pupils were taking peripatetic instrumental lessons. There are now 120 pupils receiving 1:1 tuition weekly from visiting peripatetic teachers.

The school is the new home of the Lancaster Music Centre, which launched on January 20 and will be running in the school every Thursday from 4pm.

A variety of instrumental groups will be available to join as well as individual and small group instrumental lessons from local peripatetic teachers.

For further information about the music centre, go online here.