Winners announced for Music & Drama Education Awards 2024

The winners of the 2024 Music & Drama Education Awards have been announced, including the winner of a new category: Outstanding Music Education Print Resource. 

Run annually by Music Teacher and Drama & Theatre magazines, the Awards celebrate the work and initiatives of schools, organisations, charities and individuals in both music and drama education.

Several projects were applauded for their scalability and reach this year, with Ex Cathedra’s ChoirMaker winning the Outstanding Music Education Resource category and Bloomsbury’s Lit in Colour project winning the Outstanding Drama Initiative award.       

Schools and individual teachers and educators were championed for their commitment to students’ learning, the engagement of previously disinterested pupils, and the development of inclusive projects, reaching into the community to create music and theatre across boundaries.

Awards were also given personally by the editors of Music Teacher and Drama & Theatre magazines, each to an individual or organisation of their choosing. Phil Croydon, the editor of Music Teacher, gave his editor’s award to Nathaniel Dye, recognising his outstanding commitment to music education as a teacher, ensemble leader, speaker and new writer, in spite of an ongoing battle with cancer.

Drama & Theatre’s editor Hattie Fisk paid tribute to The Creative Space, a multi-sensory drama studio that provides a substantial programme of immersive theatre workshops, reaching children in Birmingham with Special Educational Needs. 

The ceremony and judges 

The winners were announced at a live ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, presented by acclaimed author, actor and CBeebies presenter Cerrie Burnell. 

The judging panel was made up of prominent figures in music and drama education, including winners of previous years’ awards. You can meet the judges here.

The prize-winners were chosen from a pre-announced shortlist, with several organisations and initiatives given high commendations for their work. 

This year's headline sponsors were Broadway Licensing Global and Casio Music UK.

Full list of 2024 winners

Rocksteady Award for Progressive/Inclusive Music Education
Sponsored by Rocksteady Music School

Winner: Hope Creative, Bristol Beacon 

Outstanding Music Education Resource
Sponsored by Casio Music UK

Winner: ChoirMaker, Ex Cathedra

 
Outstanding Musical Initiative
Sponsored by The Royal Marines Band Service

Winner: Learn To Play, Olympias Music Foundation

 
Outstanding School Music Department
Sponsored by Music Teachers Association

Winner: School21, Stratford 

Highly commended: Tattershall Primary

 
Outstanding Music Education Print Resource

Winner: Slap Djembe, Percussion Plus  

Highly commended: How to Make Your Choir Sound Awesome, Banks Music 

 
Instrumental or Vocal Teacher of the Year

Winner: Cathy Laney 

 
Francesca Hanley Inspiration Award
Sponsored by Musicians’ Union     

Winner: Jayne Smith 

Highly commended: Jayne Barnes 

 
Excellence in SEND (Music and Drama)

Winner: UpRising Balloon, Music Education Hubs East Midlands 

  
Excellence in Musical Theatre (Music & Drama)
Sponsored by CASIO Music UK

Winner: Theatre Peckham 

 
Excellence in Primary/Early Years (Music and Drama)       

Winner: Listen Imagine Compose Primary, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group 

Highly commended: Thinking Music 

 
Lifetime Achievement Award      

Drama Winner: Danny Braverman

Music Winner: Sally Daunt

 
Outstanding Drama Initiative      

Winner: Lit in Colour, Bloomsbury Publishing 

 
Outstanding Drama Education Resource

Winner: Prospero, C&T

 
Outstanding School Drama Department
Sponsored by Broadway Licensing Global            

Winner: ClassAction, Godalming Sixth Form College

 
Drama Inspiration Award
Sponsored by Broadway Licensing Global

Winner: Russeni Fisher

 
Music Teacher Magazine Editor’s Award
Sponsored by AVID

Winner: Nathaniel Dye 

Drama & Theatre Magazine Editor’s Award 

Winner: The Creative Space, Harry Dawes and Brays School 

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