As we come to the end of 2023, it seems fitting to reflect on another impactful year for creative arts education. Now that we are operating in over 60 countries across the globe, the network of teachers and students using RSL materials has grown even larger. It strikes me that now, more than ever, the creative arts are universal to all cultures and a way that we can connect all over the world.

Our innovation in the world of education has continued, and our partnerships have expanded. It was a great pleasure to see thousands of students from Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA) and iRock be recognised with RSL qualifications for the first time this year. These innovative and accessible programmes are a great new way to recognise achievement.

We have also seen the release of Saxophone, Trumpet, and Trombone syllabuses for our Rockschool brand. These connected Horn Section syllabuses highlight a new way to approach graded music exams that encourages both individual achievement and ensemble performance.

In a recent interview, I reflected that our role in education is to inspire, motivate, and reward students. Inspiration comes from the structure and content of our materials. We motivate by ensuring that qualifications reflect achievable goals. And finally, to reward students when they have demonstrated excellence—not just by achieving the highest awards, but by achieving their best.

Every achievement is a success, and I pay tribute to the teams at RSL and beyond for making this happen. I also celebrate every teacher who is connected to RSL and puts their faith in our qualifications and resources. Together, we are a brilliant partnership.

The way we present ourselves to the world is truly important, and I was immensely proud to see the launch of the new RSL website. Each image you see is of a real student of the creative arts from a school or centre that is teaching RSL qualifications. Our focus on representation continues, and we will always reflect the brilliant students who continue to inspire us every day.

Personally, it has been my great pleasure to travel a lot in 2023. I’ve seen first-hand the achievements of students in China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Without question, my highlight of the year was jamming with RSL students in Shanghai for an evening.

2024 will be another incredible journey. We have some major updates to products and will be announcing some of the most innovative partnerships that RSL has ever launched. I am excited to share this journey with so many talented individuals.

For now, my thanks to everyone who works for, with, and in partnership with RSL.

Tim Bennett-Hart
RSL Awards – Chief Executive Officer