Haydon Bridge Music Project
With over 430 students from Year 7 to Year 13, the sheer scale of the school’s catchment presents unique challenges: after-school clubs are nearly impossible, it’s difficult to meet-up with friends outside of school and students face long daily commutes.
Without a Music Teacher for two years, Haydon Bridge School and Queen’s Hall Arts joined forces on a brand-new approach that was fresh, accessible, and inspiring. Together, Haydon Bridge High School and Queen’s Hall Arts put out a call for experienced, dynamic musicians to help develop a brand-new music project for Key Stage 3 students.
Timeline
Spring Term 2025
Project Partners
Artists
Dennis Jobling, Chris Lamb and Tom Kimber
Coordinator
Queen’s Hall Arts Centre
Schools Involved
- Haydon Bridge High School
Key Goals
- To test out creative arts delivery with an artist residency model
- To test out delivery using drop-down day model
- To give pupils experience of making music
- To improve self-esteem for pupils
The Inspiration
The project marked the beginning of an exciting new partnership between Queen’s Hall Arts and Haydon Bridge School. Developed in collaboration with resident musicians, the programme was co-designed to meet the specific needs of the school and its students.
It was delivered to nine classes across Key Stage 3, offering a high-quality musical experience embedded within the school curriculum. A core objective of the project was to tackle the significant challenge faced by many rural schools: the difficulty of recruiting and retaining specialist arts staff.
By integrating the expertise of a professional cultural organisation directly into the classroom, the partnership not only enhanced the learning experience for students but also helped to build long-term capacity within the school. This initiative laid the groundwork for a sustainable model of arts education in rural settings, demonstrating how schools and cultural partners can work together to deliver impactful, creative learning.
Outcomes
Student engagement and reduction in absences
Over 50% of the school were involved in the project, and school reported a reduction in absences on the days the project was taking place.
Increasing confidence through music
Students reported feeling an increase in confidence in creating and performing music
Sustainable working
The work has resulted in a legacy project, with students signing up to continue their musical education through the new lunchtime music club
Impact
Find Out More
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