Creative Alnwick students rewarded for their artistic efforts

Successful Year 10 students at Duchess's Community High School.

Six Year 9 pupils and ten students from Year 10 were presented with certificates by headteacher Maurice Hall.

Arts Award is a range of unique qualifications that supports anyone aged up to 25 to grow as artists and arts leaders, inspiring them to connect with and take part in the wider arts world through a variety of challenges.

Ruth Brown, head of creative arts, said: “The Arts Award qualifications are a wonderful way for young people to grow in their understanding of Arts and Leadership.

“We are thrilled to be an Arts Award centre and to have worked in partnership with both The Laing and Mortal Fools to support the engagement of our students in creative endeavour.”

Students in Year 9 had worked with theatre company Mortal Fools over a four-day workshop to produce a short play, helping them to achieve their ‘Explore’ status certificates.

Pupil Liam Say said he had enjoyed working with Mortal Fools in a small group, in particular the combination of acting and games that the company is known for. Isaac Dawson described the work as “very fun, something different from our usual lessons,” while Adam Goodfellow identified feeling more confident with performing and public speaking following the workshop.

The Year 10 students were presented with Arts Award bronze qualifications, the first step in a longer Artsmark journey to eventually achieve gold.

The students took part in the ‘Articulate’ programme which allowed them to work alongside the Laing and Shipley Art Galleries. Working on the theme of

visual literacy, each student learned a new skill before being required to cascade that skill to another student.

For student Ruby Barrass, and many of her peers, the scheme marked their first visit to a public gallery.

“It was fun and educational, and now we have this qualification as well,” she said.

All of the students expressed their thanks to Mrs Brown and Ms Hynes who made the trips possible and oversaw the running of the qualifications.

But, as Ms Hynes remarked: “They did all the hard work and they deserve these awards.”