The Brick Lane Music Hall Schools Programme offers Year Six pupils the opportunity of a lifetime, giving them a helping hand with their transition to senior school and on to their future lives. Over a very intense six week period, the students are professionally coached to perform end of term productions, which this year will be the musical Annie.

Our schools team are currently working with pupils in seven primary schools across the Borough: Tollgate Primary School, Ne

Brick Lane Music Hall has been working with schools in Newham since it first moved to the Borough  in 2003, coaxing out talent, helping students to build confidence and underpinning community cohesion and citizenship. While working at Tollgate School, our team had a visit from ex-pupil, Lorraine Owusu, who performed in an end of term show in 2005!

Tom Canning, Head of Tollgate School, takes up the story:

‘Remember Lorraine Owusu? Lorraine was the Year 6 girl who you talent spotted for the lead role in the Brick Lane Music Hall end of year show 2005. She had the most powerful voice for an 11 year old and you prepared her to perform for the Mayor of Newham at The Shining Through Awards, and also for an afternoon show at Brick Lane Music Hall singing ‘Shine on Harvest Moon’.’

‘ I have thought about her often over the years, as she would now be 21 years old!! Lo and behold…. in she walks today for an interview for a teacher training place here at Tollgate. She’s still singing and kept hard at her studies, finishing her A levels to go on to University at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance for a degree in Performing Arts. She’s now come back to us to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Education with Qualified Teacher Status and will be a teacher here at Tollgate the year after. She said that what we did for her has stayed with her forever and showed her the way forward. She’s still got that belting voice and performs regularly.’