FROM the majestic trill of a clarinet to the jolly twang of a ukelele, Didcot Girls' School has championed music as a core part of its curriculum.

The school is celebrating two separate successes in the subject, including a personal accolade gifted to its head of music Sean Dingley.

Oxfordshire County Music Service has selected Mr Dingley as the county's 'music teacher of the year'.

It comes just after Didcot Girls' was named as a regional hub for music in a new national network, designed to encourage knowledge-sharing among schools.

Executive headteacher Rachael Warwick said: "Music is such an important part of an outstanding education. I am delighted that music is enjoyed by so many students here. Music is now at the heart of our vibrant school."

She said she was 'extremely grateful' to Mr Dingley, who became head of music at the comprehensive school little more than a year ago.

The music service, part of Oxfordshire County Council, awarded Mr Dingley with a trophy at its 75th year gala awards ceremony in September.

He said had was 'truly honoured' to be recognised by the judges, adding: "I am very conscious that it is only with the enthusiasm, commitment and helpfulness of both students and staff at Didcot Girls' School, that I am able to provide the opportunities for which I was nominated."

He was elected for the award by students, staff and governors, and celebrated alongside three students at the school and neighbouring Didcot Sixth Form who won in other categories: Daisy Livesey, Emilia Harrison and Kieran Agg.

More than 250 students at the 1280-pupil school in Manor Crescent regularly attend music groups, from singing clubs to the orchestra.

The school has arranged for more than 120 students from its choirs to take part in a singing tour in Holland next summer.

Its reach is set to stretch well beyond the boundaries of Oxfordshire, after being enlisted as part of the Chartered College of Teaching's network programme.

The national teaching body has picked about 50 schools to collaborate with initially, to pool knowledge about a range of subjects and issues.

It has selected Didcot Girls' as a regional hub for music learning, which means it will take part in large-scale events to connect a wide range of teachers from schools, colleges and universities across the country.

Several other Oxfordshire centres have been chosen by the Chartered College to feature in the network's founding group: specialist school Endeavour Academy in Barton, Oxford, St Gregory the Great School in East Oxford, and Oxfordshire Teaching School Alliance.