Ark Isaac Newton Academy (INA) has won the 'Outstanding School Music Department' award at the national Music and Drama Education Awards 2021.
Since the school opened in 2012, INA has prioritised its music programme, which has had a tremendous impact on all areas of school life. This has resulted in INA being ranked in the top five comprehensives nationally for quality and consistency of music results. There is a 27% uptake of music as a GCSE compared to a national average of 7% and a pass rate of 98-100% with no private lessons.
INA started with a clear vision and focused on a few planned routes of progression, putting joyful practical music-making at the heart of their curriculum. INA supported two hours of lessons a week, and every student has their own instrument.
Ark is incredibly proud of all the staff, students, and parents at INA, who have all worked hard to build its music department into one of the most inclusive and successful departments in the whole country over the last nine years. We are excited to see what the future holds for INA music, particularly as they welcome their founding primary cohort into the secondary school for the first time this September.
Congratulations, Ark Isaac Newton Academy!