Artsmark Awards for Cornwall Schools
Acclaimed author and Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson presented awards to 39 Cornwall, Plymouth and Devon schools at the 2006 Artsmark Celebration held at the Eden Project in July.
At the event Jacqueline described to teachers, students and guests how she originally embarked on her career as a teenage journalist for a magazine in Scotland before becoming a bestseller with her enormously popular Tracey Beaker stories and other tales.
Cornwall schools receiving their Artsmark Gold Awards in July included Delaware CP School, Indian Queens CP School, Kilkhampton Junior and Infant School, Penryn College, Richard Lander School, St Breock Primary School and The Roseland Community School.
Artsmark Silver went to Budehaven Community School, Cusgarne Community Primary School, Marhamchurch C of E VC Primary School and Pennoweth Primary School.
Artsmark was awarded to Penryn Junior School, Poltair School, St Buryan Primary School, Trenance Infant School and Wadebridge School.
Jaqueline Wilson – who recently succeeded Michael Morpurgo as Children’s Laureate and will remain in the role for two years - said to the young people attending: “For those of you who want to be writers, first you have to write a lot, and be willing to write a lot…you’ve got to be able to keep going.”
Hilary Garnham, Director of Arts and Development at Arts Council England, who created the awards, said: “This is the sixth round of the Artsmark scheme, and this is our most successful year yet, with more schools receiving the award than any other year. This is a wonderful achievement and one that the pupils, teachers and we at the Arts Council can be proud of.
“The aims of the Artsmark are to raise the profile of arts in education and to extend opportunities for young people to have access to the arts. The Artsmark recognises the significant achievement of schools that are committed to putting the transforming power of the arts at the heart of the curriculum and at the heart of their school community.”
Amanda Harris, Director of KEAP, says, “The Artsmark is a wonderful way of celebrating achievements in the arts, giving schools the confidence to take risks, share what they have learned and highlight and develop good practice.
“The schools should be very proud of their achievements. KEAP, DAISI and Barefoot, the arts education partnerships, are thrilled that these schools are taking a lead in the arts and that they value the importance of arts and creativity within education as much as we do.”
During the event the schools also enjoyed performance poetry from Paul Marshall, African songs from Plymouth’s Langley Junior School choir, a new dance piece by boys from Pilton College in North Devon and a short film about school life by created by Cornish film & media company The Ark.
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