Whole School

GOLD ARTSMARK AWARD

Our OFSTED inspection in April 2023 recognised our commitment to children's Personal Development at Borrow Wood. A significant contribution to our 'outstanding' judgement in that area focused on the creative curriculum. We are therefore delighted to have achieved the ARTS MARK GOLD AWARD this summer.

The feedback we received included:

• There is a firm commitment to the Arts at Borrow Wood Primary School, and school stakeholders recognise their value in bringing positive effects to pupil’s mental health, personal development and confidence.
• A major focus of your Artsmark journey has been the Creative Mentoring project. This programme proved to be so effective that school leaders and governors decided to continue to invest in this long-standing partnership. As part of her role, the Creative Mentor has been attentive to the needs of vulnerable pupils; delivering targeted support to learners who need emotional support and has used the Arts to support emotional literacy so that children are more mindful, better able to self-regulate and more resilient. The impact of her support is evident in the testimonials of the children with whom she has worked.
• The Creative Mentor has been integral to your Artsmark journey – bolstering staff when your Art & Design Lead moved on and there was a possibility of not submitting your Statement of Impact. She was instrumental in galvanising a review of your work to date, along with some of your external partners.
• The Creative Mentor has supported and built the confidence of the new Art and Design Lead through coaching and mentoring, so that she has sought out exciting, new whole school creative opportunities, such as The National Gallery’s Take One Picture project, and now participates in sharing good practice within your Trust’s Art & Design Leadership group. The Creative Mentor has delivered training to the whole staff on the use of sketchbooks for children to develop their creative and artistic ideas and to chart their progress.
• Staff have also benefitted from in-house music training from your music lead, as well as by the Derbyshire Music Partnership and Rock Steady.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion are clearly strong drivers in your school ethos, and your work with the Derby Book Festival’s ‘Global Family’ and ‘Soup Movement’ projects have deepened children’s understanding of displacement and homelessness.
• The introduction of whole school cross-curricula creative home-learning projects have strengthened links with parents and carers and raised the profile of the Arts.
• It is clear that all school stakeholders have been energised and inspired by your Artsmark journey, particularly by the collaboration with your Creative Mentor.

Global Family Project

Click here to watch a wonderful film clip of Borrow Wood children talking about their learning about refugees and the COVID pandemic.

We are incredibly proud of all of our children involved in the Global Family Project.  Their knowledge and understanding is humbling.

Borrow Wood Lexis project video