MUSIC students were given a school report with a difference when they had to showcase their skills to their family and friends at a performance night.

The Northern School for Contemporary Music (NSCM) held an event at The Forum Music Centre, in Darlington, which offered all of the students enrolled in one of their courses the chance to perform.

Performers - aged from four to 50 - sang and danced, and played instruments ranging from percussion to guitar and keyboards.

Eight-year-old Abbie Cawood opened the show with a performance on the drums.

Mini masterclasses were also held in various styles of music, where students had to make up their own compositions on the night.

Classes are held for music students of all ages at the NSCM - the only school of its type in the North-East - several nights a week at The Forum, and the performance night was the culmination of several months of work.

Stewie Ellerton, director of the school, said: "It's like a school report, but rather than go through the process of writing one, it's a chance for the students themselves to show what they have learnt and what they can do.

"It's fantastic for them to get on stage. A lot of our students aren't the most confident, so it's a real boost for them to get up there in front of people they know."

Anyone interested in enrolling with the NSCM can contact Mr Ellerton via The Forum on 01325 363135.