At the Thomas Gainsborough School we offer all students the opportunity to achieve the bronze level Arts Award, a vocational qualification awarded by Trinity College London and the Arts Council of England. Students in Year 8 undertake the four parts of the Award through the Art and Design curriculum in their lesson time, and are also asked to engage in Arts and cultural activities outside of school such as gallery visits, exhibitions, concerts or performances. The bronze level award consists of four parts:
- Part A, in which the students engage in a broad range of practical experimentation using different Art media and techniques.
- Part B, in which the students are asked to attend Art exhibitions, performances or shows, review them and share their thoughts and responses with a partner in the group.
- Part C, in which the students explore the work of other Artists and craftspeople through critical contextual study.
- Part D, in which the students learn a particular technique, then share that technique with a partner through a planned and evaluated skill sharing activity.
The bronze level award is available to all students and they may add their completed qualification to their record of achievement folder which demonstrates to employers their breadth of skills and experience. Students who complete the award may then opt to continue their work with the silver award, available through after school enrichment activities in Year 9. By delivering the Art Award, we are able to provide all students with the opportunity to gain a qualification in the creative Arts, even if they do not take an Arts based subject as part of the GCSE or A-Level options pathway.
