It may have only been officially opened two months ago but the new music facility at Cheltenham’s Balcarras School is having a major impact on students and teachers alike.

It was on 2nd May that BBC Radio DJ Jo Whiley and local entrepreneur Julian Dunkerton cut the ribbon to open the new state of the art development at the school in Charlton Kings. In the short time since, students have made good use of the building that contains a classroom, a large music studio which can accommodate up to 60 people, a new sixth form study centre, and an additional three practice rooms.

Helen Chong, Director of Music at Balcarras School, is thrilled with the new facility and says the benefits to her students are being felt already. She said: “From the moment the Music School opened it’s been amazing to see the enthusiasm of the students who have really embraced the new opportunities on offer. We’ve got so much more space and opportunities for our students to learn and practise in.

“I operate a booking system for the practice rooms during lunchtime and up until this heatwave came along the rooms were fully booked up every single day, which just shows how keen our students are to immerse themselves in music.”

Helen, who started as Director of Music at the school in May, says students who up until recently haven’t been too musical are enjoying the benefits of the new Music School. She continued: “What has been especially pleasing is the involvement from students who may not put music down as one of their favourite subjects. Our new classroom contains computers with the latest music editing software so even if students aren’t into playing an instrument or being part of a choir, they can still learn new skills.

“I’ve just started a brand-new samba band which is open to students with no musical experience, we want to offer opportunities to everyone. Our school choir as well is open to all, it’s all about creating an inclusive environment. We do get students who come here that have quite limited music experience so it’s great to offer them opportunities to enhance their musical education.

“Music is part of everyone’s life. We understand that it might not be a subject that everyone enjoys but that could be said for all subjects. What we try and do is generate an interest and make lessons as practical as possible.

“We’ve a number of very talented musical students here at Balcarras. There’s plenty of children who are looking to study music at university, they’re very passionate and really dedicated. We work hard to give them as many opportunities to perform and gain valuable experience. I get a lot of requests from local orchestras who are on the look out for players when they have a concert, it’s a very proud moment when I can recommend one of my pupils.”