Funding boost for two local schools

Pupils at two schools in Barnsley are being helped to achieve a nationally-recognised arts qualification thanks to funding from one of the area’s largest employers.

The Arts Award, delivered by Barnsley Museums, has received £5,000 in funding from XPO Logistics, which operates a Barnsley warehouse on behalf of online fashion retailer ASOS.

The learning team at Barnsley Museums is trained in delivering the Arts Award, which is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England.

The awards scheme in Barnsley is designed to inspire children aged seven to ten to develop their arts and leadership talents, and will see 120 pupils from Ladywood Primary School and Milefield Primary School in Grimethorpe design and produce their own artwork, inspired by the newly-installed Picasso exhibition at the Cooper Gallery.

The children will spend a day at the gallery to take inspiration from the exhibition through sketching exercises, before producing their own designs using safe printing and lino cutting tools.

Barnsley Museums’ learning offer provides a wide range of workshops for primary and special educational needs (SEN) school groups to support learning across the curriculum, including local history, art, science, English, design and technology.

Jemma Conway, learning manager at Barnsley Museums, said: “The children will go on a creative journey during the workshop, taking inspiration from exhibitions at the gallery and from people who work creatively.

“The aim of the award is to build their confidence through enjoyable cultural activities and to prepare them for further education.”

Ken Perritt, account director at XPO Logistics, said: “We were looking to sponsor a project locally that would make a difference to children and which allowed us to give something back to the community.

“The Arts Award seemed a perfect fit for us and we are delighted to be helping children in the area to develop their arts skills.”

Clare Grainger, headteacher at Ladywood Primary School, said: “We are always looking for ways to be inclusive and to allow all our children to feel successful. Creative opportunities such as these inspire all children, exciting their interest, while allowing them to feel a sense of achievement in their finished work.

“We have been finding out about Picasso in school and the children are very much looking forward to the workshop and to gain their Arts Award certificate.”

A presentation of the Arts Award certificates will be made in May to all 120 children who have completed the workshop.

• Picture shows Jemma Conway and schoolchildren on a previous visit to the Cooper Gallery.

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