Going for gold

Artsmad ensures that the arts are making a difference to young people in Swindon. Part of Swindon Borough Council, and also funded by Arts Council England, it has received extra government funding to go into a massive new housing estate in North Swindon. This has enabled the organisation to go into an embryonic community and put art at the heart, through a new project called Flux. Kirsty Carter, Director of Flux, explains, “We seized the opportunity to implement the Arts Award at the start of a new secondary school and a new curriculum. The Isambard Community School Head decided that every member of staff, from the receptionist to the lab technician, would be trained to be Arts Award advisers, in addition to Flux staff based at the school. We are also delivering the unique arts curriculum, which includes cartoon clubs, digital media work, film work, rock school, animation, dance choreography and much more.”

In a new school with only one intake, 20% of pupils achieved an award while still in Year 7, including 12 year-old Sahil Jhamb. He not only completed his Bronze Arts Award, he is also the youngest person in Swindon to receive his Silver, and now can’t wait to do his Gold. Sahil said, “The Arts Award is great! I’m really looking forward to achieving all three Arts Awards and hope it will help me become a film director”. This summer, those Year 7s, recently qualified with their Bronze Awards, mentored primary students on the Arts Award just before they moved up to Isambard in September. Kirsty believes there’s so much enthusiasm among the pupils because of the whole ethos of the school. “The school is going for arts college status so the Arts Award is embedded in its culture. As well as teachers and Flux staff, pupils can also talk with professional artists delivering the art curriculum, like local rock band Alfonz, who, as well as being Arts Award advisers, are also going for the Gold Award themselves.” Even young Flux staff are on the Arts Award scheme. Casual assistant Simon Olney passed his Silver, and is now on a Film Production course at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth, while Project Assistant Beth Sturman was the first person in Swindon – and the 99th nationally – to achieve the Gold Award.

Artsmad runs national Arts Award training days for Isambard staff and primary school colleagues. Lead teacher of English and Literacy at Isambard, Sarah Jones, said, “Arts Award is exciting for young people, exciting for Swindon and exciting for the future of the arts in education”. Flux’s delivery of the arts curriculum is also promoting enthusiasm in the arts as a whole. Head teacher Rachael Mattey explained, “Real artists don’t paint for an hour, then pack away and dance for an hour, then pack away and sing for an hour. Neither do our students. They immerse themselves in the art form for at least a day at a time – giving them the opportunity to live the true creative experience. Does it work? You bet it does! These young people are willing to try anything!” Obviously, not everyone can have a new school, new staff and government money to embed the Arts Award. How can others achieve such a positive response with limited resources? “Identify arts enthusiasts across all staff, not just within the art subjects,” said Kirsty. “By doing this you may be surprised. At Isambard, it emerged that the lead teacher for Maths plays in a rock band, while we have a singer, guitarist, photographer, double bass player and artist among the geography and science staff. Then organise in-house training sessions for your Arts Award advisers and create a buzz about it. The more staff involved as advisers, the more students you’ll have excited about doing it.