End Of Term Blog

We have had a wonderful 2019 with record numbers of learners taking part in individual and group tuition in music, art and drama. It is gratifying to see the Conservatoire so busy, and this is a tribute to our inspirational and dedicated Tutors, and the wonderful central team who support them.

We continue to push ourselves to deliver on the core element of our ethos – the belief that the creative arts can be both enriching and transformational. We believe that every person we work with is entitled to the same outstanding experience, and we are proud to be bringing the Conservatoire’s expertise to a wider mix of people than ever before.

Thanks to the quality of our instrumental tuition, we are maintaining our position as one of the highest performing centres for ABRSM examinations in the country. Our pass rates continue to be well above 90%, with around 70% of learners achieving Merit and Distinction. This compares to average attainment nationally of 60% with 20% at the higher levels. Our work in Drama and Art continues to produce wonderful exhibitions and performances, and we are always looking for further opportunities to build the range and depth of our creative offer.

Alongside this, our community engagement work is flourishing, thanks to funding from a number of sources – not least the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, the Peter Harris Trust, and private donors. Children from 18 Greenwich schools have been participating in multi-disciplinary workshops in Art, Music and Drama.

We are also working with a range of other partners: autistic and deaf young people, building a new music curriculum for LEYF nurseries, which will eventually reach 6000 of the poorest children across Greater London, local Syrian refugees, a programme focusing on women in the creative industries, and with our friends at Age Exchange on inter-generational projects linking playgroups and residential homes.

Our ambitious, expanded programme of events has also brought increasing opportunities for our learners and Tutors to showcase their achievements. By building a culture of celebration and collaboration, we are developing the Conservatoire into a place not only of learning, but also of performance and exhibition.

We are all members of the Conservatoire community, and whether you are a learner, a parent, a Tutor, a member of staff, or a well-wisher, by being a part of our community, you have a stake in everything we do. Without everyone’s contribution, we could not achieve what we are beginning to see developing here. And while it may sometimes seem that your own relationship with the Conservatoire is individual or limited, by being ‘one of us’, you are helping to sustain every aspect of our work.

Have a great summer, and we look forward to seeing you in September.