Worksop school celebrates prestigious award after turning focus to arts and culture

Outwood Academy Portland has received an Artsmark Award, which is a creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England.

It supports schools to develop and celebrate arts and cultural education, putting creativity and wellbeing at the heart of the curriculum.

On receiving the award, Sally Nelson-Fish, academy head of expressive Arts, said: “We are delighted that the hard work and dedication of our outstanding expressive arts team has been recognised.

“The determination not to allow Covid to diminish the strength of the arts at Portland has been rewarded. It is a joy to work with such talented, creative and committed students.”

Principal Danielle Sheehan, principal of the Netherton Road school, said: “I am thrilled for our school and its students to achieve such a rare and prestigious achievement.

“It fills me with pride that our students receive such an excellent education, specifically when it comes to the arts.

“Thank you to the expressive arts team for all their commitment to the award, and to music teacher Sophie Pilsworth for the hard work put in to evidence us meeting the criteria.”

In order to achieve its Artsmark Award, the academy had to develop its arts and culture provision to embed a broad and ambitious curriculum.

This was achieved by creating an overall plan that was committed to and delivered across the whole school, including activities and experiences such as a school musical production, a London theatre trip, art competitions, dance events, drama workshops, music concerts and festivals.

The Artsmark assessor stated that the academy is ‘well placed to contribute strongly to the wider educational community, developing the confidence, skills and understanding of staff in a range of other settings and advocating for the positive impact of arts and culture on all children and young people’.

Dr Darren Henley, Arts Council chief executive, said: “I would like to congratulate Outwood Academy Portland on their Artsmark Award.

“Becoming an Artsmark school demonstrates that through offering a broad, ambitious, and creative curriculum, every pupil can develop character and resilience, increasing knowledge, curiosity and skills that will remain with them through to adult life.”