ARTSMARK

The Artsmark is awarded by Arts Council England as recognition of an education championing arts, culture and creativity across the school. Art themes are included regularly for pupils of all ages to enjoy and develop an interest and passion for.

Muntham House School currently holds the Silver Artsmark award and is embarking on a second Artsmark journey towards achieving the Gold Artsmark. All pupils experience an extensive programme of Arts and are provided with as many opportunitiies to experience and enjoy a wide range of various arts.

At Muntham House School, we hold the Arts in high esteem and believe that all pupils have artist potential. We therefore try to recognise this and increase opportunities for pupils to experience and enjoy the Arts. A range of different Arts is used at each Key Stage in the school, supporting pupils social, emotional and mental wellbeing. Art is a powerful tool to achieve this and a method for pupils to express themselves in various ways. Art curriculum days have been very successful, as have the whole school Arts projects which we have successfully completed, such as:

Super Hero Tree (Wood Carving and Painting)
Griffin Tree Carving
Painted Giant Mosaic
Art Deco Stencil Wall (Completed during an Art Curriculum Day)
Primary Graffiti Mural
Secondary Graffiti Mural
Music Lessons provided during the school day and after school
School Band (Winners of National SEN Award)
Connecting Classrooms (Music Project run through the British Council)
Lego Innovations Projects
Music Performances
Music Tech links
Muntham's Got Talent Annual Competition
Theatre Performances for each Key Stage

By offering a wide, varied, simulating and carefully structured Arts experiences, we enable each pupil to develop the capacity and capability for artistic thought and critical awareness, and the necessary skills to enable them to succeed.

We recognise that if our pupils have regular access to high quality Arts and Cultural experiences, this will ultimately raise standards and promote accelerated learning across all subject areas.

Music is a large part of the curriculum where pupils have the opportunity to play an instrument. Music Tech is also popular with the pupils, where they can learn to mix and make their own music using Garage Band and Adobe Software. We hold a school performance each term and encourage as many pupils to be involved in this as possible.

Many of our pupils have had negative past experiences in education before coming to Muntham House School and through our Arts, Culture Rich Ethos and Curriculum we endeavour to bring learning to life and give them the opportunities and skills to enjoy and thrive at Art no matter what ability or level they are currently at.

In addition to our active Student Council, we now have a Student Arts Council with representatives from each year group. The Student Council and the Arts Council allow our pupils to have a voice. The Arts Council gives the pupils a say over arts and culture based activities including visiting artists. The Arts Council are planning to hold local art exhibitions in our Arts Centre involving pupils work displayed alongside art from the local community.

Muntham House School is fantastic at sharing good practice with other local schools and through the wider SEN schools nationally and internationally. We host the regional Engage Conference for all special school practitioners inviting special schools and main stream schools to share good practice. There are excellent keynote speakers arranged and a range of workshops on key issues in special educational needs including delivering outstanding art in SEN Schools.