Goldsmiths webinar frequently asked questions

I am new to Artsmark. How do I start my first journey? 

Welcome to Artsmark! Artsmark is open to primary, secondary and special schools, pupil referral units, youth offending teams, secure settings, hospital schools and sixth form colleges.

All of the information that you need about starting your Artsmark journey and how the process works can be found on our How Artsmark works area of the website.

If we started our Artsmark journey before Goldsmiths took over as national delivery partner, will we need to begin our journey again and attend all three modules?

You don’t need to start your journey again if you registered before September 2023. You will just need to pick up the training from the stage you are currently at. If you would like to re-fresh your understanding of Artsmark you can take our new e-learning module here.

We were previously Artsmark Silver and now we are going for Gold - what’s our next step?

While we understand that your setting may be aiming towards a certain award level, your award will be determined by the assessment of your application submissions. 

Our Artsmark assessors read both your Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact and will assess the distance travelled between these submissions to award your level, but you are unable to apply for a specific award level.

Artsmark is intended to be a cyclical process where awarded settings build on their previous Artsmark activity and award, and then stretch themselves with new goals and ambitions to work towards a new award. Find out more about the process.

Remember, you don’t need to wait until your award has expired to re-register for a new Artsmark journey, settings can re-register for a new journey as soon as they receive their award.

Is the Artsmark process still the same?

The Artsmark process and the Artsmark Framework are still the same. The framework outlines what we expect to see at the different award levels  - download it here. 

How much does it cost to register for Artsmark?

The Artsmark registration fee is £500 or £250 based on your pupil numbers at the point of registration. The £250 fee is for small settings with under 100 pupils, and the details of the fee and what is included are outlined on our website here.

Has the Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact paperwork changed?

No, the Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact paperwork hasn’t changed. Visit our online submission page for more details on how the submission process works. 

At what stage in your Artsmark journey does the Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact have to be submitted? Are there any other submissions or stages that I should be aware of?

We expect your Statement of Commitment to be submitted within three months of attending Module 2 Artsmark Development Training  - Making Change with Goldsmiths. Your Statement of Commitment should outline your current provision, the goals and ambitions you hope to achieve during your Artsmark journey, and the impact you hope to see across your whole setting. You then have up to two years to deliver, develop and evaluate the goals and ambitions outlined in your Statement of Commitment.

The final stage is to submit your Statement of Impact. This should evidence and evaluate the impact of your Artsmark journey against the goals outlined in your Statement of Commitment. Both your Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact will be used to assess your award level. 

You can find more information about both of these documents here.

Who assesses our Statement of Commitment and Statement of Impact? 

Information about the Artsmark Assessors can be found here.

At what point in our journey do we do Modules 1, 2 & 3 and how do we access them?

There are three key modules to take during your Artsmark journey: 

• Module 1 -  this e-learning module should be completed as soon as you’ve registered for Artsmark. If you’ve already registered, you can still take the module to refresh your understanding of Artsmark. 

• Module 2 - Artsmark Development Training - Making Change is taken after you have completed the e-learning module and self-assessment. This will support you with preparing to write your Statement of Commitment. 

• Module 3 - Artsmark Development Training - Impact of Change  takes place around 12 to  22 months into your journey, and after you’ve submitted your Statement of Commitment. This is the core support for helping you to write your Statement of Impact.

Modules 2 and 3 are available to take in person or online. Find out more about them and book your place here.

We’re coming to the end of our journey and are about to write our Statement of Impact - do we need to attend Module 3 training first? 

As you are coming up to the stage of writing and submitting your Statement of Impact, it is recommended that you book onto the upcoming Module 3 Artsmark Development Training  - Impact of Change. This will give you further support during this vital stage of your journey. You can book onto this here.      

How can I get support if I have questions after I’ve attended Module 2 or 3? 

You can pop into one of the monthly online drop-in sessions with any questions or email Goldsmiths. 

Should we complete the modules or just attend drop ins?

Depending where you are on your Artsmark journey, you should attend the next relevant module. For example:

• If you’ve just completed the e-learning module and self-assessment you will need to take Module 2.
• If you submitted your Statement of Commitment over 12 months ago and are ready to start writing your Statement of Impact, take Module 3  - you do not have to take Module 2 if you did your development training in the last academic year. 

If you are in doubt, please email Goldsmiths.

Artsmark support drop-in sessions

These are open to all schools at any point in their Artsmark journey. Whether new to Artsmark, on a repeat journey, working towards submitting a Statement of Commitment or Statement of Impact, or anywhere in-between, the team from Goldsmiths will be available to support you to work through any specific challenges or issues you may be facing, and to facilitate peer mentoring with other schools and settings in the session.

These are monthly online sessions with the option of using breakout rooms for peer support, and you don’t need to register in advance. More information and upcoming dates can be found at the bottom of the Goldsmiths training and support page.

Will Goldsmiths read a draft of my Statement of Commitment or Statement of Impact?

The Goldsmiths support offer has been designed to upskill and empower you and your colleagues to take ownership of your Artsmark journey and drive change in your setting. After completing Module 2 Artsmark Development Training  - Making Change, you will have all the knowledge and understanding you need to write your Statement of Commitment.  Module 3 Artsmark Development Training  - Impact of Change will equip you to write your Statement of Impact.

In addition, you are welcome to join the monthly online drop-in sessions for support with any specific challenges or issues you may be facing and to engage with peer mentoring with other schools.

Visit the Goldsmiths training and support web page for more information.

Are we able to see examples of best practise in terms of the Statement of Impact?

We do not share other Artsmark settings’ submissions, however you are welcome to reach out to your neighbouring Artsmark schools  - you can see who’s on their Artsmark journey here.

We struggle to embed creativity across the curriculum. It tends to stay in the Art Dept. I’m interested in addressing this through Artsmark. How can Goldsmiths help me in doing this in my school? 

The Artsmark Framework and process of working towards an Artsmark award is designed to support you to embed creativity across the curriculum.

You can read more about the benefits of Artsmark and how it works, as well as downloading the Artsmark Framework here and we’ve a breadth of resources to support you on your journey 

Get inspiration from other Artsmark settings by visiting our Artsmark in Action area of the website for blogs and case studies. 

Are there more local area representatives? Could this be possible for those of us who are close to each other geographically?

Modules 2 and 3 will be delivered by Goldsmiths across the country, driven by data of where the current demand is, and will also be available online so they can be accessed from anywhere. Similarly, drop-in sessions are online so anyone can access them. Connections with other local schools can be valuable and you can find a list of all Artsmark schools on their journey here.

In addition, Goldsmiths are developing a Virtual Learning Environment for Artsmark settings where you’ll be able to connect and share best practice. More information on that is coming soon.

I’ve started an informal arts network in my region to mutually support alternative education settings with their arts provision. Is this to be encouraged and continued?

Peer networks and peer to peer mentoring can be incredibly valuable. Schools can find other Artsmark schools in their area here and the Virtual Learning Environment that teachers will be invited to join in the near future will support a national community of practice to develop across like-minded schools. 

Could you tell us a bit more about the relevant expertise that the Goldsmiths team has in relation to working in and with educational settings, and also their previous experience of Artsmark? 

Professor Tara Page, the Artsmark Project Lead at Goldsmiths and her team come with a wealth of knowledge of arts education and Artsmark. You can read more about this in our Five questions with Professor Tara Page blog. 

How is the Goldsmiths offer different to what my Bridge offered?

Goldsmiths are our new national delivery partner, meaning the same training and support is available to every Artsmark setting across the country. You can read more about the Goldsmiths training and support offer here.