We are pleased to announce that Willow Bank School has achieved the Artsmark Gold Award.
What is Artsmark?
Artsmark award celebrates schools that champion the arts and strive for excellence in their provision.
“We believe every child should have the opportunity to create, compose, and perform, as well as to visit, experience, participate in and review extraordinary work.
Awarded by Arts Council England, designed by schools, the Artsmark award will help schools to deliver a high quality arts and cultural education and provides an excellent way to demonstrate this.”
One of our 4 key priorities this year is to make sure that all pupils have the opportunity to experience a range of exciting cultural experiences and to spend time learning about the different arts in lesson-time.
To find out more about Artsmark, go to their website here.
ARTSMARK Journey At Willow Bank School
Willow Bank School would like to proudly announce our commitment to promoting high quality arts and cultural educational opportunities through the ARTSMARK journey. ARTSMARK is the creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England. We decided to register with the organisation to further inspire our students to create, experience and participate in arts and culture. Building confidence, resilience and providing the tools for our students to grow into happy, articulate and successful young people is at the root of our school ethos.
We have been working hard to meet the ARTSMARK quality principles which are;
- Striving for excellence and innovation
- Being authentic
- Being exciting, inspiring and engaging
- Ensuring a positive and inclusive experience
- Actively involving children and young people
- Enabling personal progression
- Developing belonging and ownership
The cultural provision we have provided during this journey has been varied, cross-curricular and strives to greatly benefit our student’s knowledge, understanding and awareness of the arts and culture.
Here is a snapshot of some of the varied activities we have provided to date some of which can be seen on Twitter:-
- Music and Creative poetry Arts Awards with special workshops by rap artists and published poets.
- WWI poetry and art poppy installation – St Helens Star
- Arts experiences during the Somme100 battlefields trip, music, sculpture, ceramics, installations, poetry, literacy.
- Reading for pleasure initiatives, creative book reviews. Developing the quad area, combining design, art and literacy.
- Musical experiences, St Helens Music– assembly performances, music lessons. Music service Summer concert and Supersing.
- Forest school creative activities – leaf art, outdoor sculpture, found objects, creative thinking.
- Staff CPD sessions – Making Mosaics, DIY skills, encouraging artistic flow.
- Parent craft groups – Glass painting and frame embellishment.
- STEAM – food design, creative baking, making, marionette puppets, glass blowing, bird box design.
- Trips – World of glass workshops, World museum – Egyptology, Liverpool museums, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra visit People’s museum art and history trip.
- Penkford art exhibition showcasing a varied selection of arts and cultural experiences.
- Science and ICT - stop motion animation, creative book design KS2.
- St Helens youth open art competition – exhibited at the world of glass, evening exhibition.
- YPDATT – St Helens college drama performance on the dangers of illegal drugs.
- Merseyside police/Aerial trust – Gun and gang culture drama production.
- Social media links on twitter to acknowledge Arts and Culture activities.
- Draw and talk therapeutic sessions.
- Mental health week- incorporating a variety of arts, crafts and cultural experiences to promote mental health awareness.
- Enrichment
- Celebrate drawing as a therapeutic medium through The Big Draw Festival. Including cross curricular links/animation.
- Installation of Photoshop to enhance digital art mediums.
- Introducing glass fusion techniques using our very own glass kiln facilities.
What is meant by “British values”?
We believe that the following list exemplifies some of the values held dear by British citizens:
- Democracy
- Respect of the rule of law
- Appreciation of the rights of other citizens
- Individual liberty
- The promotion of opportunities for all
- Support for those who cannot, by themselves, sustain a dignified lifestyle
- Religious tolerance and respect for cultural diversity
- Treating others with fairness
- Participation in community life
- The contribution to, as well as the benefit from, cultural and economic resource
Willow Bank pupils will learn about:
- How to influence society through lawful democratic participation.
- That the freedom to religion, including the freedom of others to hold faiths other than your own, is enshrined in British law.
- That people of diverse faiths should all be respected and not be discriminated against as a result of their religious affiliations.
- That it is everyone’s responsibility to identify and challenge discrimination wherever it occurs.
What is the Pupil Safeguarding Council?
The Pupil Safeguarding Council is a representative group of students from each Key Stage who have been proposed and elected by their peers to represent their views and raise issues relating to safeguarding with the Senior Managers and Governors of the school. The Pupil Safeguarding Council meets once every half term and provides pupils with the opportunity to have a democratic voice.
Why is it important to have a safeguarding council?
- It gives pupils a chance to express their views about how to keep School safe.
- It gives pupils an opportunity to make a difference around School.
- Everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe.
What does the Safeguarding Council do?
- Meets once every half term to discuss safeguarding matters in our School.
- Comes up with ideas for how to make School safer and then decide how you are going to do it.
- Share ideas with other adults that come into our School and our governors.
- Talk about if it has made a positive impact e.g. Has it worked? Does School feel happier and safer?
- Take minutes of the meetings to help pupils remember what they have discussed / done.
The Pupil Council is a representative group of students who have been proposed and elected by their peers to represent their views and raise issues with the Senior Managers and Governors of the school. The Pupil Council meets once every term and provides pupils with the opportunity to have a democratic voice.
Purpose:
To ensure that all pupils:
- Have a voice. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children and young people have a right to express their views on matters that affect them and to have their views taken into account.
- Enjoy and feel empowered by their education.
- Feel that the school responds to their needs and views.
- Have the opportunity to let adults know their feelings and opinions about things that affect them.
- Have a say about decisions and to play an active role in making their school a better place.
- Develop life skills through participation.
- Help the safeguarding team to ensure that everyone is kept safe.
Members:
Our Pupil Council is made up of a pupil from each form group. Each form group elects their own representative. The form teacher outlines the role and responsibilities of the Pupil Representative. Nominations are then asked for. An election address is given by each person wishing to be elected. This is followed by a vote with the winner duly elected to represent their year. Key Stages 2, 3 & 4 are represented on the Council.