Arts Council England visit

Senior members of Arts Council England visited Sawston Village College as part of Anglian Learning’s unique Memorandum of Understanding with the national development agency for creativity and culture. 

Special guests from Arts Council England included Senior Relationship Manager, Claire Toogood, Senior Manager, Amanda Rigler and Relationship Manager for the Southeast, Emily Chase. Also present was Senior Officer of the Artsmark Development, Kathryn Welford. 

Senior leaders from the Trust’s central team also joined the visit, alongside Alison Weir, Headteacher at Howard Community Academy, Alex Unsworth, Head of Art and Photography at Sawston Village College, Emma Mason, Music Teacher from Linton Heights Junior school and Principal of Sawston Village College, Jonathan Russell, who opened the meeting with Sawston’s Year 8 Art Ambassadors.

The focus of the day was a discussion of the report produced by Dr David Parker on ‘The Arts and School Change: An Artsmark Case Study’; highlighting Howard Community Academy’s recent accomplishment of Gold Artsmark status and the impact of the Arts. Also, considering how the Arts might help to improve learning outcomes on a long-term basis.  

Other presentations on the day came from Alison Weir, Headteacher of Howard Community Academy, on her school’s journey to becoming Artsmark Gold, viewing of the ‘Disguise’ photography exhibition by Year 11 pupils, led by Alex Unsworth and attending a rehearsal of the Madrigals practising for Sawston Village College’s Great St Mary’s carol service. 

Later in the afternoon, Jez Brewer, Head of Performing Arts at Bottisham Village College, spoke about the recent Anglian Learning Cultural Leadership Event, where Arts faculties from across the Trust gathered to share best practice teaching methods and ideas.