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Craig Hart, Director of Arts Specialism at Westfield Arts College

“Many of our pupils have a combination of sensory and learning difficulties and our school has exceptionally committed staff. We believe that all our pupils should enjoy coming to school and have fun whilst learning. We aim to broaden their horizons through offering an exciting and stimulating curriculum which gives them opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities including music and performing arts.” 

Ofsted report January 2020 (GOOD), Manor Field Infant and Nursery School 

Trustees, leaders and staff work together to make sure that pupils access a wide variety of opportunities in the curriculum. One example is the school’s work for Artsmark. This has made a big difference to the range of art opportunities provided for pupils and the quality of pupils’ artwork.

Angela Lowry, Headteacher, Raddlebarn Primary School

“We love Arts at Raddlebarn! We truly believe that it empowers children in so many ways - breaks down barriers; embraces culture and diversity; expression of skills in so many ways and its so much fun! For us it helps celebrate our community and involve our families in what we do and offer.

During difficult times, expressions of the arts have been so valuable - everyone can achieve and succeed. It’s brought us closer as a community and helped us all learn so much about the world we live in and the difference it makes to their lives and the lives of others.”

Manuela De Rogatis, Teacher (Art), Keir Hardie Primary School

“The way Artsmark motivated and inspired our school to embed the arts in our curriculum, as well as the positive responses from our pupils and staff, have been absolutely incredible. I personally think that embarking on our Artsmark journey has been the best and most exciting way to develop as an Art Leader at school.”

Jonathan Boustead, Director of Drama, St Paul’s Juniors

“Artsmark has pushed us to explore our cross-curricular collaborations too, such as art with maths, drama with English and IT with Theology and Philosophy.”

Pauline Tambling CBE, Arts Professional and Trustee for Roundhouse
A broad and ambitious curriculum must include more than what is examinable. The creative arts are fundamental to empowering and inspiring young people as well as uncovering young talent. Arts experiences benefit all young people and often motivate and engage disaffected and hard-to-reach young people. Artsmark provides a nationally recognised award, accredited by Arts Council England, for arts practice in schools and other educational settings. It allows education leaders to review, plan and improve their arts offer to young people with support from cultural organisations across the country.“ 

Sir Matthew Bourne OBE, Director and Choreographer
Arts in schools is of high importance to me personally. It not only supports the next generation of artists but also gives people confidence and the ability to creatively problem solve, skills needed for any chosen career path. By embarking on Artsmark schools challenge certain perceptions of arts in education and make a bold statement to bring arts back to the heart of learning”

Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, Former Principal of The Royal Ballet & Strictly Judge
We are all born as creative, inquisitive and curious individuals. As we grow, so do our inhibitions, which in turn restricts our willingness to be creative and inventive. The creative arts, both performing and visual, help to keep these innate qualities alive. In a more complex society, we increasingly depend on the creative individual

Combe St Nicholas Church of England VA Primary School, Artsmark Silver
We don’t view our engagement in the arts as being at the expense of academic subjects but as enhancing and facilitating these. Artsmark has had a positive impact on teaching and learning at our school; pupils report that arts-related activities have been memorable and our KS2 Sats results have continued to improve, with the greatest progress being made by disadvantaged pupils”. Christine Maxwell, Headteacher

The Bridge School, Artsmark Platinum
“At a time of great change within the education sector, I get the sense that the arts are becoming marginalised and undervalued. Programmes such as Artsmark open a dialogue with schools and people in the wider creative sector.

Artsmark has given me a much clearer focus for what I aspire the creative and expressive arts to deliver to our students and how I would like to move forward. This includes training and involving teachers who may not be from an arts background, to use the arts more actively as a tool.” Ryan McClelland, Art/Senior Teacher

Havelock Academy, Artsmark Platinum
“What is so great about the award is the fact that it is so much more than a certificate on the wall.  It is a motivator for all of us to continue to meet our academy motto, “Broadening Horizons”, through a continuous, high-quality arts programme, in and out of the curriculum.” Emma Marshall, Principal

Hurlingham School, Artsmark Gold
Artsmark is a fantastic way of focusing on what you already do well as a school and highlighting what you could still strive to do. It has driven us to take steps to ensure that a strong arts culture is embedded within our School Development Plan.” Andy Thwaite, Head of Arts Faculty

Our Lady’s Catholic High School, Artsmark Platinum
“Many of our great scientists were exceptionally artistic and creative people. When we nurture creative understanding and expression, our students develop as more rounded, tolerant and positive individuals!” Nigel Ranson, Headteacher

Durham Sixth Form Centre, Artsmark Platinum
“Artsmark has re-invigorated practice, reminding us why it is so vital to continue to inspire young people through arts and culture, at the same time as supporting our whole school vision.” Ruth Robinson, Lead Teacher and Leader of Learning, Arts, English & Business

Leeds Museums and Galleries, Artsmark Partner
“The Artsmark Partnership Programme develops long-term partnerships with local and regional schools to share planning and embed sustainable arts practices.” Kate Fellows, Lifelong Learning Manager

Thomas Gainsborough School, Artsmark Platinum
“Artsmark has become a central element of our strategic priorities and has been a valuable tool in helping us advance our arts agenda. Our students’ creative influence has been key to the development of new ideas and the refinement of our outstanding curriculum. Our Artsmark journey has helped us to continually reflect and challenge ourselves to deliver the best arts provision for our children and young people.” Edward Clark, Head of Art and Design

Lancasterian Primary School, Gold Artsmark
“At the Development Day, we were guided through the Artsmark process and encouraged to think critically about our aims for the arts in our school. By the end of the day, we had built up a clear picture of what we needed to do to improve our arts provision and compiled a bank of resources that I was able to draw upon when writing our Statement of Commitment.” David Rees, Music Coordinator

Sandwell Youth Offending Service, working towards Artsmark
Our Artsmark journey has been crucial in helping shape our thinking, give us new ideas and a sense of purpose. Our regional Bridge organisation has been very supportive in encouraging strategic support and making links with local partners.” Michael Botham, Service Manager

New Regent’s College Pupil Referral Unit, Artsmark Gold
I would highly recommend any school to embark on the Artsmark journey. The outcomes have far exceeded expectation. We have grown as educators and as a direct result, pupils’ outcomes have improved manifestly.” Sue Parillon, Head of School

Brunton First School, Artsmark Gold
“Our Artsmark journey has enriched our curriculum, stimulated teaching that has inspired and enthused our children, helped our pupils develop their artistic voice and enabled teachers to develop new skills in delivering the arts and visual literacy.” Liz Bamber, Arts Coordinator.

Antony Gormley, Artist
“Making things, drawing, painting, filmmaking - all of these are a form of thinking and feeling that do not require the skills of literacy and numeracy and yet are essential to becoming fully human. I believe the importance of visual ability, especially at a time where we live in such a visually mediated world, is an essential part of the growth of any young mind and body. Had it not been for the art room at my school I would not be an artist today. The art room was the one place at the centre of the college where things that weren’t already known and did not come out of books could be made, viewed and shared. I regard visual literacy as something of greater importance than any other human capability and we ignore it at our peril. Drawing is something as important as speaking, it is the way that the thinking mind expresses itself visually. Drawing is a natural extension of the mind and body; an essential human capability that should be encouraged as we should encourage the making of a chair, a film, a carving or the construction of a radio.”

Stephen Belinfante, Arts Adviser, Worcestershire County Council
 ”Artsmark schools endorse the belief that achievement and participation in the arts are essential components in nurturing happy and confident young learners.”

Hofesh Shechter, one of the UK’s most talked about young choreographers
“It was through dance lessons at school that a world of opportunity and freedom opened up for me. To be able to express myself now through my work is entirely down to this first opportunity. I wholly support a programme that offers young people the chance to experience the same high quality arts education. Experiencing and participating in the arts can genuinely change the direction of someone’s life and it is in our schools that these first encounters should take place.”

Rt Hon Ed Vaizey MP
“This Government is firmly committed to cultural education, which is why we commissioned Darren Henley to conduct a full review of cultural provision in schools. I’m delighted to see the return of Artsmark, which will help to give thousands of children access to high quality arts provision in schools. I’m sure that the programme will help not only to inspire our artists of the future, but their audiences too.”

Liz Macfarlane, Arts Education Consultant
“Many of the best schools use the arts to help bring the whole curriculum alive and engage young people with their education in a creative and meaningful way. Artsmark not only recognises schools with excellent arts provision, but requires schools to use the arts as a tool to develop learning across the curriculum. The Artsmark programme recognises those schools providing a good education across the board, not just good arts provision.”

Julian Lloyd Webber, widely regarded as one of the most creative musicians of his generation
“Artsmark is a great way of encouraging schools to bring the arts to our children! The arts are a marvellous vehicle for bringing children together and exposure to them has been proved to have a beneficial effect not only on their other school subjects but also on their general wellbeing and feelings of self esteem.”

Michael Ellis MP, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, Department of Culture, Media and Sport
“It’s vital that children have the opportunity to learn and enjoy arts and culture from an early age. It develops their creativity, inspires future careers and enriches their childhood. Artsmark Award does brilliant work in schools and education to ensure young people access a broad and balanced curriculum that includes high-quality arts and culture.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England
“Cultural education gives children and young people the opportunity to develop their creativity, both individually and collectively, and that’s why our goal is for every child and young person to have the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts.”