A massive well done to our Artsmark team in school – Miss Beverley, Mr Ballantyne and Miss Samy – for all your hard work in pursuing the Silver Artsmark Award!
‘It is lovely to read of the progress that Wybers Wood has made in developing your arts provision. Despite a change of leadership in art, you have embedded art in the curriculum and it would be lovely in future to hear more about how this works. Your staff have grown in confidence through collaborative working approaches and you have plans to develop further through music CPD and by engaging a local artist and a voice coach to support your offer and to share expertise with staff. Children are enjoying a wider range of clubs, trips (including a residential one to a London theatre) and have been involved in a wider range of opportunities, including choir, a singing festival, Young Voices and whole school drama productions. It is great that you have extended the arts offer to your youngest pupils, that you support the involvement of your more vulnerable pupils in the arts and that you are seeing a stronger engagement from boys. Your arts now include a diverse range of key figures reflecting the diversity of your community. Increased ownership of their learning is evident in children’s projects such as creative week and artist day. You plan now to extend this through the use of pupil arts ambassadors and it will be interesting to see how you can involve them in decision-making about their learning in the arts and the range of their arts experiences. There is clearly a strong momentum in the school to continue your exploration of the arts and you might include in this the use of the arts to impact on the quality and outcomes of wider learning, as you are doing with your public speaking focus. You are right to be looking to develop further links with arts organisations , creative practitioners and schools, which will enhance staff skills and enrich your children’s lives. You recognise the value of the arts to your children’s wellbeing and personal development and it will be interesting to consider how the arts can be used strategically to support your vulnerable pupils. You are very clearly heading in the right direction and we look forward to hearing where your next journey takes you!’
Congratulations on your Artsmark Silver Award!