The award fosters creativity, communication and leadership skills and helps to prepare young people for further education and employment. Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England.
In the five years that the national qualification has been running, demand has rocketed. Over 50,000 young people have achieved an Arts Award and over 15,000 professionals have trained to support them as advisers.
It’s easy to see why the award is a hit with young people. Youngsters aged 11 to 25 develop creativity and leadership skills and can choose to work in any art form supported by their adviser, including ’behind the scenes’ work (such as costume design and managing arts events).
The award has proved particularly popular in schools and is also well established in youth, arts and cultural settings across the country. Many schools are attracted by the formal recognition of Arts Award; accredited on the Qualification Credit Framework at levels 1, 2 and 3. Young people can progress through all three levels, or start at any stage.
Ben Cole, Community Performing Arts Coordinator at Hendon School in London explained how his school got involved: “Following my Arts Award adviser training, I presented to our Senior Leadership Team the idea of embedding Arts Award in the lower school curriculum for a trial year. They needed no convincing of the benefits that it would have in our school”.
He goes on: “It has helped achieve the whole school agenda to bring accreditation into Key Stage 3 and has developed independent learning skills in preparation for coursework at Key Stage 4”.
Teachers appreciate the award’s flexibility. The qualification can be delivered within the curriculum, through extra-curricular clubs or as an enrichment activity. City of Norwich School, delivers Arts Award during weekly after-school meetings where students run and take part in workshops in origami, manga, dance performances and drama.
The award’s flexible framework means that it works with students of different abilities and interests including high achievers, students who are disengaged from much of their education and those with Special Educational Needs. Awards can be achieved in different contexts and time frames and portfolios of evidence can be developed in any format such as video, audio or Makaton symbols.
With the right approach in place, teachers report that Arts Award works. Students’ attendance and behaviour has seen improvements in addition to developing their art form skills and knowledge. At Hendon School, where the award is embedded in the Expressive Arts faculty’s Key Stage 3 curriculum, it has engaged pupils that were previously reluctant to get involved. “The qualification really focused them on wanting to achieve and being willing to work independently,” Ben explained.
Students and teachers alike relish the independent working style encouraged by Arts Award. Connor, an Arts Award achiever in Year 9 at Carres Grammar School in Lincolnshire “loved having the freedom to work independently". While Michael Humphrey, Head of Music at the school, saw a real change in the students’ attitude. “It was such a privilege to watch pupils who, up to then, we closely monitored and encouraged, take the initiative and immerse themselves in their own creative projects” he said.
Doing an Arts Award opens doors and helps prepare students for further education and employment. At Derby College of Further Education, two students who set up a production company as part of their Silver Arts Award have continued to work successfully with local musicians. Helen Willey, Enrichment Officer at City of Sunderland College, was attracted to the Gold Arts Award by the 35 UCAS points it provides her students with. Her “biggest highlight” as an Arts Award adviser was knowing that she had helped a student gain a place at his chosen university.
The good news is that at a time when many worthwhile initiatives are threatened, Arts Award is here to stay. Arts Council England has positioned Arts Award within its 10-year arts strategy and Trinity College London, who manage the award, are dedicated to maintaining the forward momentum, with newlevels for 7 to 11 year olds in development this year. This adds up to many more opportunities for young people to achieve an Arts Award and a continued demand for trained professionals to support them.
Ben’s advice for anyone considering running an Arts Award is to “get on the adviser training and get inspired”. If you are interested in delivering Arts Award in your school, details of a variety of affordable training options, including attending a course near you or bringing a trainer into your school, are available at www.artsaward.org.uk.
