Penbridge Infant and Nursery School receives silver Artsmark award for its art curriculum

The school has received the Silver Award by Artsmark, the only creative quality standard endorsed by Arts Council England. Artsmark is committed to supporting schools across the country in nurturing and celebrating arts and cultural education across all facets of the curriculum, breathing life into learning experiences for children.  

Artsmark’s recent recognition of Penbridge Infant School, a proud member of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, underscores the school’s commitment to fostering creativity and expression among its children. 

 A report accompanying the award acknowledged Penbridge Infant’s work in advancing arts education. The school was praised for proactively maintaining momentum in fostering artistic pursuits and implementing innovative initiatives. This includes ‘cultural passports’ that outline a range of arts and cultural activities that pupils can participate in at school, in the local community and further afield. The passports act as a log of all their experiences and help to amplify the children's engagement in the arts.  

The school has also revamped its art curriculum to focus on skill-building and progression, a move that has bolstered staff confidence in teaching and empowered pupils to work more independently. The school's emphasis on dance education has grown in popularity too. Penbridge has also broadened performance opportunities, with its choir being a popular success and active participation in art exhibitions.

Claire Young, who leads music at both Penbridge Infant and Junior Schools, expressed her elation at receiving the Artsmark Silver award. She said: “The Silver Artsmark award has been a huge encouragement for our school community, and it’s wonderful that the hard work of our staff has been recognised.  

“Everything we do is focused on making the arts curriculum enjoyable for all. At Penbridge Infant School, we have an Inclusion Centre where children are included in school-wide events. They come and join in with the rest of the school for music lessons, PE, and dance lessons as well. Our work around arts helps us build an inclusive environment for all." 

For more information about the school, click here.