Dramatic achievement for local primary school

Reporter: Ask Bury
Date online: 08 June 2007

Fairfield Community Primary School has proudly announced that following almost a year of scrutiny from the Arts Council, it has been awarded the prestigious Artsmark award for music, dance, drama, art and literature.

The Artsmark accreditation rewards schools who can demonstrate a strong commitment to developing a dynamic arts programme. The national award encourages work in partnership with artists and art organisations.

Ken Parkes Arts Coordinator from the school said: "We have a long history of championing art, dance and drama at our school which has resulted in many successes in recent years.  This has promoted a wide level of participation and our productions are very popular fixtures. One of our parents also runs a weekly drama club which has performed at the school and at the Met Theatre, "he continued; "In music we have a fifty strong junior choir and a new infant choir.  We have an award winning recorder ensemble and also ensure that all children from seven upwards have been taught the basics of music reading and recorder playing".

"We have a committed group of string, woodwind and percussion players who together with staff make up the "Band of Gold" which plays frequently in school and at local venues. Through our partnership with Broad Oak High School we have a thriving dance development scheme which has performed with great success in local festivals".

Chris Ashley Headteacher at the school said: "Our school community puts a great effort into achieving our school target of happiness and high standards. I am delighted that the Arts Mark acknowledges that as well as our high expectations and hard work within the core curriculum, particularly with literacy and numeracy, we are committed to broadening horizons and providing children with the opportunities to enjoy and express themselves through performance.

I am very proud of our children and grateful to staff who give up so much of their free time to go the extra mile in supporting activities that very often take place outside of school hours.  I am also very grateful to the wider school community, our parents, governors and Home School Association who come to watch our children perform and who help to raise funds for visiting performers and items such as instruments and eventually we hope, a new stage.

I am particularly grateful to the Arts Co-ordinator Mr Ken Parkes who as well as his own strong commitment to music, supervised and collated the large amount of evidence that we were required to submit to the Arts Council".

Sir Christopher Frayling, Arts Council England Chair, said: "The Arts Council warmly congratulates all those who have attained the coveted Artsmark award this year.  This distinction demonstrates the school’s strong commitment to the arts and also acknowledges the strengthened relationship – through art – between the school and its community.  This is a real achievement".