CREATIVE PUPILS and staff at Tavistock College are celebrating after receiving a prestigious national arts award.

The Platinum Artsmark Award recognises the quality of arts and cultural education at Tavistock College by Artsmark, the only creative quality standard for schools and other educational establishments. It is accredited by Arts Council, England.

The award recognises that the college has developed its arts and cultural education across the whole school. Artsmark backed support and professional training throughout which included partnerships and working relationships with companies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Stage-ED and Tie It Up Theatre Company, alongside local primary schools and Devon and Torbay Music Education Hub.

Eva Pearson, college head of creative arts, said: “This is a fantastic achievement. We’ve really enjoyed working with Devon and Torbay Music Education Hub as we have been able to provide free workshops in singing and jazz as well as creating a Transition Choir. Projects such as working with social studies to bring in Tie It Up Theatre group to do a drugs education workshop and performance have had a great impact and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company coming to work with our dancers repeatedly.

“But we are also proud of things like non creative arts teachers joining and supporting trips and productions, joining with the English curriculum team to deliver a creative response to World Book Day and crucially, our Community Partnership Programme – a recent example of which was the free wreath making and Christmas crafts day.”

The Artsmark assessor said that the college was “a wider force for the good in the arts” praising its various initiatives and saying: Dr Darren Henley OBE, chief executive of the Arts Council, said: “I would like to congratulate Tavistock College on their Artsmark Award. Becoming an Artsmark school demonstrates that through offering a broad, ambitious and creative curriculum, young people have the opportunity to develop character and resilience, increasing their knowledge, curiosity and skills that will remain with them through to adult life.”