Celebrating Our New Lead Schools for Music Education in Cheshire West and Wirral

On Thursday, 26th June, Edsential proudly welcomed six schools from across Cheshire West and Wirral to its headquarters to officially recognise them as Lead Schools for Music Education. The event, titled ‘Lead School, Welcome and Recognition’, marked a significant milestone in the region’s commitment to enriching music education.

The celebration was attended by Edsential’s Managing Director, Ian McGrady, and Phil Dickson, the newly appointed Chair of the Edsential Music Advisory Group. Together, they honoured the schools for their dedication to embedding high-quality, inclusive music education into everyday school life.

Each school received a commemorative plaque and participated in a collaborative session focused on shaping the future of music education for the coming year.

These schools were selected for their outstanding efforts in fostering creativity and a passion for music among children and young people. Their expertise will play a vital role in supporting other schools across the region.

This initiative stems from England’s National Plan for Music Education (NPME), “The Power of Music to Change Lives”, published in 2022. As Lead Schools, they will: host and attend networking and professional development (CPD) sessions; Collaborate with Edsential Music to support colleagues within the region; Contribute ideas to the Edsential Music Advisory Group.

Our new Lead Schools are:

In Cheshire West:

Tarporley High School
Hebden Green Community School (SEND)
Kingsmead Primary School

In Wirral:

Wirral Grammar School for Girls
St John Plessington Catholic College
Our Lady of Pity RC Primary School

Coffee and pastries welcomed teachers from 4.00pm before the formal meeting began at 4.30pm. The event offered the opportunity to network, share ideas and build momentum ahead of an exciting year of collaboration.

“Music education is essential. It cultivates creativity, discipline, teamwork, and self-expression in ways few other subjects can. When children and young people learn music, they’re not just learning how to play instruments—they are learning how to listen, how to collaborate, and how to persevere through challenge. Studies consistently show that students involved in music education perform better academically. Their maths skills sharpen. Their reading improves. Their confidence soars. Music activates both hemispheres of the brain, and learning to play an instrument is often compared to giving your brain a full-body workout.”
— Lindsay Kutlu, Edsential’s Music Curriculum & Teacher Advisor

We are incredibly proud of the passion and expertise shown by our Lead Schools and are looking forward to working together to inspire even more young people through music.