Heworth Grange School in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, has been awarded the Music Mark of Recognition for “Ambition and Quality” for the 2025–2026 academic year, recognising the school’s commitment to high-quality music provision and the wider arts.
The recognition was announced by the school’s trust, Consilium Academies, in late January 2026. The award is issued by Music Mark, the UK’s association for music education, and is designed to recognise schools that treat music as a core part of a broad and balanced curriculum rather than an optional extra.
Pupils at Heworth Grange follow a programme that includes NCFE Music Technology and regular performance opportunities. The Music Mark recognition follows a period of strong arts activity at the school: Heworth Grange was one of the first 11 schools in the UK to win the rights to stage Disney’s Frozen after a national competition in 2025.
Headteacher Neil Rodgers said the award reflects the school’s ambition to provide high-quality arts education for every pupil and to maintain a safe, caring environment where students can explore music and performance.
The Music Mark of Recognition also brings practical benefits: it includes discounted national membership, access to Music Mark teaching resources and networks that connect schools to regional and national performance and development opportunities. The award is being used by the academy and its trust to evidence progress in improving standards and expanding creative opportunities for all pupils in Gateshead.
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