Gold artsmark celebrations at st clement's

Students and staff at a West Norfolk school are celebrating after receiving a prestigious Gold Artsmark Award.

St Clement’s High School has developed its arts and culture provision through the curriculum and involved the entire school. 

“We are extremely proud to have achieved the Artsmark Gold Award. It is great to receive recognition for the fantastic work of our arts subjects. Visitors often comment on the high quality of the work produced by our students,” said headteacher Nigel Willingham.

The school, a member of the West Norfolk Academies Trust, was supported by Festival Bridge, part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival Trust, which works in the area supporting and developing arts and culture.

The trust runs 11 primary and secondary schools in the region and all now hold a silver or gold-level Arts Mark.

An Artsmark assessor commended St Clement’s for its rich arts offer along with a strong curriculum for the subjects in Key Stage 3 and 4. Uptake in arts subjects at the school is well above the national average.

He also commented on the school’s investment in additional clubs and enrichment opportunities - with regular trips and workshops to expand learning and offer richer experiences for students.

“I would like to congratulate St Clement’s High School on their Artsmark Award. It demonstrates that through offering a broad, balanced and creative curriculum, young people have the opportunity to develop character and resilience, increasing their knowledge, curiosity and skills that will remain with them through to adult life,” commented Dr Darren Henley, Chief Executive of the Arts Council.

The school usually holds annual exhibitions for art and photography to showcase the final pieces of work from students on GCSE courses.