Congratulations to Tom Canning and the team at Tollgate Primary School in Plaistow, which has come a remarkable 12th place in The Sunday Times league table of the top 500 Primary Schools in the country.

Pictured above with Vincent Hayes, Tom has worked closely with Vincent for many years, inviting Brick Lane Music Hall to work with pupils at Tollgate as well as several other local schools, as part of our schools programme. The programme coaches Year 6 students to take part in an annual musical performance. For the last two years the production has tied in specifically with the National Curriculum theme of promoting of British values. Previous productions have included British musicals, Mary Poppins (pictured below) and Oliver.

A brilliantly lively and vibrant school, the pupils are offered the opportunity to travel and music and drama are seen as central enrichment activities. On the school’s website Tom states that “Performance and singing are an important part of school life”. Needless to say, working with the students is extremely rewarding and the performances never fail to amaze and to touch even the most careworn of hearts!