PUPILS and staff at William Edwards School in Grays are celebrating achieving a prestigious Artsmark Platinum Award, as the creative quality standard for schools celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The Artsmark Award is the only creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England. It supports schools to develop and celebrate arts and cultural education, putting creativity and wellbeing at the heart of the curriculum.

In order to achieve the Platinum Award, William Edwards – which is part of the South West Essex Community Education Trust - had to develop their arts and culture provision to embed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This was achieved by demonstrating a range of experiences and opportunities available to pupils which are delivered across the whole school.

In their report, the Artsmark assessors commended William Edwards on "the great number of opportunities pupils have to experience authentic and rich arts and cultural experiences."

They added: "The creative curriculum (which is fully embedded into the Year 7 curriculum and now being extended to Years 8 and 9), plus the school's core art programme has resulted in countless occasions for pupils to gain cultural experiences outside of school, such as performing at Disney and seeing performances at Covent Garden.

"There is a good range of arts-based subjects at GCSE and BTEC including photography, media studies and, more recently, film studies.

"The arts are not just confined to the art Department. Teachers from across the school actively engage in and support the arts. The use of cultural champions and developing individual teachers to take leadership roles in the Inter-School Inclusive Dance Project, 'The Snow Globe' will continue to contribute to ensuring arts and culture are not only valued but implemented and sustained over a long period of time."

The school was told: "Careers in the arts and cultural industries are actively promoted. Your long-lasting partnership with the Royal Opera House (ROH) and your commitment to the ROH Trailblazer CPD programme, is clearly having a positive impact on pupils' outcomes."