Arts collaboration for Ormiston academies

Students and staff from five Ormiston Academies Trust schools across the country have launched a collaborative initiative to enhance performing arts education.

The event was hosted by Ormiston Sudbury Academy, and attended by students and staff from Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy, in Ipswich; Ormiston Denes Academy, in Lowestoft; Ormiston Victory Academy, in Norwich and Cliff Park Ormiston Academy, in Gorleston.

The academies together launched the Bronze Arts Award for their students, a qualification that supports young people to grow as artists and arts leaders.

Leo Cox, head of performance at Ormiston Sudbury Academy, said: “This initiative is a hugely important part of the Ormiston Enrichment Charter – fostering fantastic collaboration between our academies and ensuring that best practice can be shared effectively.

“This allows students to receive the high quality support and enrichment opportunities they deserve.”

With funding from Ormiston Trust, OAT’s founder, Sudbury was able to provide free training and workshops for staff and students at the launch event on Friday.

The training run by Trinity London enables staff to become Arts Award Advisors in their academies and ensure that students are formally supported in their artistic endeavours.

Throughout the day students were also given the opportunity to attend a number of workshops, all of which were geared towards getting them one step closer to achieving a Bronze Award.

The new initiative will allow schools in the trust to collaborate on special events and activities and ensure that they can easily share best practice across.