Mark Rutherford School

Mark Rutherford School receives prestigious Artsmark Award

Students and staff at Mark Rutherford School are celebrating after receiving a prestigious Artsmark Award. Artsmark is Arts Council England's award for schools and education. It celebrates settings that embrace the arts across the curriculum, bringing them to life for children and young people.

Mark Rutherford has maximised creative partnership opportunities that have unlocked financial investment for creative and cultural projects including two 'Aspire Higher' Creative Careers conferences that have been delivered in collaboration with National Portfolio Organisation Bedford Creative Arts and the National Collaborative Outreach Programme's consortia, Aspire Higher, which is based at the University of Bedfordshire. The school has collaborated with the University of Bedfordshire on 'Aspire Higher' exploring how creativity and the arts can support employment prospects and self-esteem.

The national average of students taking an Arts GCSE is 44% compared to Mark Rutherford's above national average of 65%. The school offers a range and variety of GCSE, BTEC and A Level courses in dance, music, drama, art, media and photography, and some courses have been changed to tailor the offer to areas of particular student interest.

Mark Rutherford School was supported by Royal Opera House Bridge in planning and developing their initial objectives. Royal Opera House Bridge worked alongside the school at various stages to support their Artsmark Award achievement.

Tina Gray-Rampello from Royal Opera House Bridge said, "As an Artsmark school, Mark Rutherford School gained access to exceptional networks and resources from some of the most treasured cultural organisations in the country, which helped to strengthen and deliver their arts provision. Through Artsmark, Mark Rutherford School will continue to incorporate art and culture into every pupil's life, learning, knowledge and understanding, helping them to build skills, resilience, confidence and character."

On receiving the award, Acting Headteacher Kelli Foster said: "We're extremely proud of achieving our Artsmark Gold Award. We are committed to delivering a high quality arts and cultural education and we look forward to continue to grow with Artsmark."

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said: "I would like to congratulate Mark Rutherford School on their Artsmark Award. As an Artsmark school, Mark Rutherford School exemplifies how the Award can help schools to achieve a broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring that each of its students is given the opportunity to explore and build a love of the arts that will remain with them as they go through adult life."

Mission Statement

We believe that every child is unique. Our aim is to provide broad, balanced, personalised learning experiences that will enable them to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and to achieve economic well being.

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February 7, 2020

Mark Rutherford School
Wentworth Drive, Bedford, Bedfordshire Mk41 8PX
Telephone 01234 290200 : Fax 01234 290236 : Email: mark.rutherford@mrus.co.uk