Arts Award Contributes to School Objectives
Based on feedback from many specialist schools running Arts Award, the booklet profiles six schools in detail.
"Schools often express the view to inspectors that examinations do not always capture students’ developments in and through the arts. However, schools which offer Arts Award often provide convincing evidence of schools’ personal journeys and wider achievements." Ian Middleton, HMI
"Arts Award really helped me to find my independence when working in an artistic setting – it gave me more confidence and organisational skills and allowed me to realise the range of opportunities available to young people in the arts." Rosie, Gold Award Achiever, Beckfoot School
"Arts Award builds skills students may not always have access to in the curriculum and enables different pathways through a subject area" Fionnula Rogers, Director of Specialism, Willingdon Community School
So Arts Award has an impact on both schools and students! And what is Arts Award? Answer: A national qualification which supports young people’s creative development and builds communication and leadership skills – available at NQF levels 1, 2 and 3 (Bronze/Silver/Gold) and run jointly by Arts Council England and Trinity Guildhall.
The quotes above come from the publication, Arts Award: developing creative students in specialist schools (SSAT, 2009). Based on feedback from many specialist schools running Arts Award, the booklet profiles six schools in detail.
Researcher Marina Castledine poses the question, ‘Can Arts Award support… applied learning, community cohesion, inclusion, partnership working and transition?’ And the answer, in different ways, is YES, as the following examples demonstrate.
Applied learning
Roding Valley High School (Essex) talks of offering Arts Award to all students in years 8 and 9, to stimulate arts participation and contribute to personal learning and thinking skills (PLTS). The staff believe that Arts Award gives students the freedom to direct their own learning, evaluating their own work and setting high standards for themselves.
Community cohesion
Chingford Foundation School (London) links Arts Award with family learning at their Saturday Arts Club with an Arts Award Parents Forum supporting students’ activities. Arts Award provides a framework for young people to organise community arts events and be involved in running activities in local primary schools.
Inclusion
Royal Manor Arts College (Portland) offers Arts Award to young people in their special needs unit who might not otherwise work towards an arts GCSE subject. Through Arts Award, these students grow in confidence, developing oral skills and bonding as a team within practical projects.
Find out about Arts Award at www.artsaward.org.uk
Request a hard copy of Arts Award: developing creative students in specialist schools (SSAT, 2009) from enquiries@artsaward.org.uk