Gold Artsmark Awarded to Rode & Norton School Federation!

08 Nov Gold Artsmark Awarded to Rode & Norton School Federation!

We are delighted to announce that both Rode and Norton St. Philip schools have been awarded an Artsmark Gold Award! This is a snippet of what the assessors have to say: 

‘The pupils at Rode Methodist VC First School are very lucky indeed to attend such an arts rich school. The 15 Things to Do Before 9 and ¾ is mapped onto all termly plans. Your many partnerships such as with Dramakarma, Black Swan Arts, Bath Literature Festival, Frome Media Arts, Jamma de Samba, Jackdaw Music, the American Museum and Pete Moorhouse are all making a positive contribution to quality arts, cultural and education experiences for your pupils. Every pupil has had an opportunity to perform in a theatre and work alongside professional technicians and artists, how delightful!

‘Despite the challenges of the pandemic; a change in school leadership; and losing your Performing Arts teacher, you have evidently maintained your firm commitment throughout your Artsmark journey to including children in an exceptional and imaginative, arts-rich curriculum which promotes your educational philosophy of ‘inspire, discover, explore, create, flourish’. Your work in the Arts continues to go from strength to strength as you plan and create increasingly ambitious projects. Your fresh take on the way in which you begin each academic year with a 3-week ‘We are Artists’ and end the academic year with a whole-school, 6-week creative project, culminating in a creative event is exciting and innovative. Performance Arts is clearly a strength of your curriculum, with expertise amongst the staff on delivering high-quality productions, including costume, set design and lighting, with opportunities for children to work alongside industry professionals and partners. Pupils have frequent opportunities to showcase their considerable artistic and creative talents both within the schools’ communities and the local community, including, for example, your Samba Carnival; ‘Trashion Show’ film; Poetry Slam; ukulele concert; Macbeth performance; and, not least, your whole school show ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.

The use of art journals has given pupils an opportunity to take ownership of their own personal progression in art. Pupils have also had the opportunity to express their voice on issues that are important to them through writing the script for a show based on world peace.

You have demonstrated the value and commitment you place on the Arts. Your bank of videos and films built over a period of 4 years, produced by staff and children (supported by parents who are experts in the field of film making and Frome Media Arts) show how staff’s and pupils’ skills have developed over time.”