Ackworth School is celebrating national recognition after being named a winner at the prestigious Music & Drama Education Awards 2026, a leading celebration of excellence and innovation in performing arts education across the UK.
The award recognises the strength and impact of Ackworth’s drama provision, highlighting the creativity, ambition and dedication of both pupils and staff. The Music & Drama Education Awards are judged by respected figures from across the creative and educational sectors, shining a spotlight on schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to the arts.
In announcing the award, the judges praised Ackworth’s distinctive ethos and high standards:
“The judges liked the school’s integrated approach in balancing students’ needs and development with quality output. They were impressed with the level of internal support for the department and the challenging play choices made for productions.”
This commendation reflects Ackworth School’s belief that drama is about far more than performance alone. Through an ambitious programme of productions and curriculum drama, pupils are encouraged to take creative risks, explore complex themes and develop the confidence, resilience and collaboration skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
Ackworth was shortlisted alongside a strong field of outstanding schools from across the country:
Ackworth School, West Yorkshire
Chiswick School, Chiswick
Guildford High School, Surrey
Hill House International Junior School, London
The Marlborough Science Academy, St Albans
Moreton Hall, Oswestry
Sevenoaks School, Kent
Trinity Catholic School, Nottingham
Wellington School, Somerset
To be recognised among such distinguished company underlines the national standing of Ackworth’s performing arts provision.
As a Steinway School, Ackworth is proud to place creativity at the heart of school life. Its drama success complements a broad and ambitious curriculum, strong academic outcomes and a rich co-curricular programme that enables every pupil to discover and develop their talents.
This latest national award further strengthens Ackworth School’s reputation as a leading independent day and boarding school, where academic excellence and creative opportunity go hand in hand.
You can view the full list of nominees and winners here.
For more information about joining Ackworth School and our range of performing arts opportunities, please contact us on admissions@ackworthschool.com or 01977 233621.
On Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd March, Ackworth School were lucky enough to take seventeen students down to London, to perform at Steinway Hall.
This comprised of our Senior Choir, and three pianists, who received a masterclass each from internationally renowned pianist, Ashley Wass. The students also received a tour of the Steinway showrooms, learned about the history of the company, and got to play on the piano that is used in the Royal Albert Hall during the BBC Proms! The first day ended with a recital given in the Steinway Hall by the pianists, Senior Choir and other selected musical numbers. The opportunity to then watch a matinee performance of Hamilton the following day was very well earned!
“I extremely enjoyed our visit to London. The masterclass on Wednesday afternoon was extremely interesting and I learned so much from it as it allowed me to develop my skills to a further extent, and explore different aspects of music. Exploring the different pianos, and learning about the wider context of steinway’s pianos. I also really enjoyed exploring the streets of London, and engaging in musical activities such as ‘ creating a piano by using only our bodies’. Hamilton was also extremely exciting. The music was great, and the choreography was phenomenal. The actors were very talented and a great inspiration” – Charlotte
“First, I want to appreciate Mr. McCarthy, Miss Strong, and Miss Younger for planning this wonderful trip to London. I was astonished by the Steinway Spirio’s ability to accurately capture your playing, stimulate the pianist’s style, and actually show the keys moving up and down, note by note. I occasionally join the choir, sometimes with the wrong lyrics, but it’s a lot of fun. I had the great fortune to attend Ashley Wass’ Master Class, during which he demonstrated a novel fingering technique and described the importance of breathing properly. I love this trip!” – Brian
Sally Harby taught piano here at Ackworth School until a serious road accident in 1982 sadly put an end to her career.
Sally has lived in France for the last 16 years, but on February 3rd she visited Ackworth to see the school’s new Steinway pianos.
After a tour of the Music Department, Sally played a piece of Rachmaninoff on the Steinway Grand, much to the delight of a Coram House class. Her verdict on the Steinway was, “Formidable!”
In January 2019, Ackworth School became the 15th member of the All-Steinway Group of Schools. As a member of this prestigious group, we demonstrate a commitment to excellence and an unparallelled educational experience by providing our students with the rich, unrivalled sound, incomparable tone, and pristine touch of STEINWAY & SONS pianos.
These pianos inspire students to realise their artistic talents, and best prepare them to compete at the highest level in the professional world.
In this photo Sally is seen with family members, including her sister, Celia Wolfe (left) who taught History at Ackworth for 25 years, and now holds the position of Archivist, as well as Daniel Marks, Director of Music (second from right).
Here is a short clip of Sally playing the Steinway Grand.
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