Burnage Academy for Boys joins prestigious music programme

Burnage Academy for Boys has been chosen to be the newest member of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Music in Secondary Schools Trust Programme (MiSST). The school will be the latest to join the programme, which currently works with 29 schools across the UK, including in London, Oldham, Warwickshire and Middlesbrough. 

MiSST was founded in 2013 after several years of development at an inner-city London school. MiSST now provides opportunities to over 12,000 students and improves educational and social outcomes through the provision of classical instruments and expert tuition.

They provide funding for instruments, regular tuition, opportunities to perform and a programme of excellence that is unrivalled in the UK. Their mission is to be at the forefront of classical music education.  

At Burnage, the MiSST programme will fund one-to-one instruments and professional tuition in the school, on a three-year programme, beginning with the incoming class of Year 7 students in September 2024. These students will be presented with a violin or flute when joining us and will receive tuition in their music lessons. Students will be encouraged to take their instruments home to practise and there will be a wealth of extra-curricular activities surrounding the programme, including the opportunity to perform in the annual concert in a major UK venue.

These students will continue their music tuition throughout Year 8 and 9 with a view to achieving music grades in their preferred instrument. Moving forward, each incoming year group from September 2024 will join the MiSST programme and will receive an instrument and tuition during Key Stage 3.

“It is wonderful that MiSST gives opportunities for children to learn an instrument in school,” said Mr Harrison, Headteacher.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be the first school in Manchester to be part of the programme. It is important that all young people have access to a range of activities and find something that they are passionate about, and the programme will greatly help our pupils to do that.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is a passionate donor and supporter of MiSST said “I am a passionate believer in the importance of the arts in schools, particularly music, which transcends all languages, shades of politics, race and creeds.  In our increasingly dangerous and fractured world, the arts have never been as vital as they are today and they should be free, it is wonderful that we are having the programme here.”

Rachel Landon, CEO of MiSST said, “MiSST are thrilled to be partnering Burnage Academy for Boys from September 2024. The school like us are dedicated to bringing opportunities to children who may not have been able to access this provision and understand the positive impact that a high-quality music programme can have on children and are committed to bringing this entitlement to them. The children will get a minimum of three years tuition and will be following our curriculum named The Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme which has had a significant impact on the lives of so many children around the country”.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with MiSST, as we recognise the amazing opportunity that the programme presents to our pupils,” said Alison Boyd, who is currently responsible for Music and Drama within the school. 

“Learning a musical instrument is both challenging and rewarding. We have a strong focus on both resilience and independence and the programme gives us a new and exciting avenue with which to explore and develop these skills in our students.

“We’re really looking forward to getting started!”