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Fame Academy!

With a new building and a plethora of new facilities, Broughton High School’s arts department and its students are coming into their own.

The quality of teaching in arts subjects has always had a strong reputation at Broughton High, attracting local and international students every year.

The school even has a world famous alumnus – Shirley Manson of rock band Garbage.

“A lot of subjects don’t fit easily into the curriculum for excellence, but the arts is an ideal model for developing both the skills and confidence that the curriculum is focused on,” said Broughton’s head of music, Tudor Morris.

The school has been in the new premises since March. “We are really very lucky to have such good facilities,” added Tudor.

“I think the pupils are enjoying coming to school. In fact, sometimes it is a job to get them to leave at the end of the day! It’s a nice environment to work in.”

Tudor is understandably proud of the school’s music department. The Broughton School of Music is accredited as a Steinway School – the only one in the UK and one of 14 in the world. It is a hallmark for excellent standards in musical teaching and there is a Steinway piano in every practice room.

As well as classes coming in to learn the standard music curriculum, the specialist music school has 53 gifted students who are headed for a career in music.

Some will leave school with letters after their name, and all 53 pupils have been offered their first choice in higher education this year, including top schools RSAMD and Royal College of Music in London.

Marsailidh Groat, 14, a third year music student, said: “I came here two years ago and play the piano and viola.

“The new school is a lot more modern and I like it better because it feels like there is more open space. It’s a nicer environment, so you can get on with work because it is more relaxing.”

Like the new music facilities, the purpose-built dance facilities at the new school also offer better opportunities to the students.

Laura MacNeill, principal teacher of dance, said: “The old school wasn’t built for dancing. The area we worked in was a nursery. Here we have purpose-built dance spaces and a studio.

“When we came in and saw it, it was like Christmas all over again. Students are really impressed and I think it is amazing.”