Radio presenter Simon Beale presented the Music and Drama Education Awards 2025 at a live ceremony on 30 January at The Royal National Hotel, London.
The winners were chosen from a pre-announced shortlist, with six organisations or individuals given high commendations for their work.
The MDEA jury – chaired by Phil Croydon, editor of Music Teacher, and Wendy Frost, Head of Content (Drama) for Expo 2025 – was made up of a range of leading voices from the worlds of music and drama education.
The drama categories were judged by Patrice Baldwin FRSA, drama for learning specialist and chair of the UK’s Council for Subject Associations; Steve Ball, co-chair of the Drama and Theatre Education Alliance, and chair of the For/With/By European Youth Theatre Network; Aileen Douthwaite, founder and director of AMD Arts Consultancy Ltd; Russeni Fisher, actor and poet; Honor Hoskins, leader of Vamos Theatre’s creative learning programme; Lynn Howes, outreach lead for Drama Studio London; Ferah Ibrahmin, outreach practitioner at Chickenshed Theatre Company; Cerys Jones, writer, casting director, and manager for British Youth Music Theatre; Dale Rooks, director of education, Chichester Festival Theatre; and Lynette Shanbury, Polka Theatre’s executive director and joint chief executive.
This year the awards included a new category, The MTI Award for Achievement in Musical Theatre Provision. Sponsored by Music Theatre International (MTI), the award acknowledges and celebrates outstanding musical theatre provision in a primary or secondary setting.
Two Editor Awards were given directly by Music Teacher and Drama & Theatre magazines, each to an individual or organisation of its choosing. The Drama & Theatre award went to Theatre Royal Stratford East, for its community projects, its massively popular schools programme, and the broad range of activities it runs for all ages.
The full list of winners:
Outstanding Musical Initiative
Winner: Flagship Schools Programme, Music Masters
Outstanding Drama Initiative
Winner: School Workshops and Performing International Plays
Outstanding Music Education Resource
Winner: Musical Storyland and the BBC Philharmonic
Outstanding Music Education Print Resource
Winner: How to Sight-Read by Paul Harris, Faber Music
Outstanding Drama Education Resource
Winner: Work In Theatre Teacher Toolkit, Get Into Theatre
Highly commended: Shakespeare Learning Zone, Royal Shakespeare Company
Excellence In SEND (Music & Drama)
Winner: Voices In The Wilderness, The Big Reveal
Highly commended: Orchestra360, Create Music
Excellence In Musical Theatre (Music & Drama)
Winner: BB Broadway at Turbine Theatre Battersea
MTI Award For Achievement In Musical Theatre Provision
Winner: Droylsden Academy, Manchester
Highly commended: Caister Academy, Caister-On-Sea
Excellence In Primary and Early Years (Music & Drama)
Winner: Satellite Opera House, Buxton Opera
The Rocksteady Award For Progressive And Inclusive Music Education
Winner: Composition Challenges, London Sinfonietta
Highly Commended: Powerjam Band Project
Outstanding School Music Department
Winner: The Winston Churchill School, Woking
Highly commended: Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Outstanding School Drama Department
Winner: Treviglas Academy, Cornwall
Instrumental or Vocal Teacher Of The Year
Winner: Catherine Williams
Music Inspiration Award
Winner: Carly Palmer
Drama Inspiration Award
Winner: Zelia Attzs
Highly commended: Nick O'Brien
Music Teacher Magazine Editor’s Award
Winner: Brass Bands England
Drama & Theatre Magazine Editor’s Award
Winner: Theatre Royal Stratford East
Lifetime Achievement Award (Music)
Winner: Professor Martin Fautley
Lifetime Achievement Award (Drama)
Winner: Chris Lawrence