Collaborative Learning Network for Virtual Schools Developing Cultural Offer

Are you a Virtual School?

Are you wanting to embed your arts, cultural and creative provision for your children and young people?

Are you interested in how Artsmark can support you along your journey?

The Mighty Creatives are leading a National Network for Virtual Schools who are undertaking their Artsmark journey to develop and embed arts, culture and creativity across their provision for children and young people.

The network will support Virtual Schools alongside world-leading CPD delivered by Goldsmiths University, and the support offered by Artsmark themselves. This support package will help Virtual Schools on their journey towards their Artsmark accreditation, accredited by Arts Council England. It is the only award for arts and culture provision in England.

Find out more information about Artsmark and the network below.

What is Artsmark?

Artsmark empowers education settings with the skills they need to embed arts, culture and creativity across their whole provision. Artsmark’s clear and flexible framework supports settings to address their improvement priorities using arts, cultural and creative opportunities.

After registering for Artsmark, settings will:

• Receive online training from Artsmark and Goldsmiths University, to help carry out a self-assessment and to design and develop their action research to extend and enrich arts, culture and creativity in their learning community.
• Complete and submit their Statement of Commitment. This document is the first formal submission of the Artsmark journey, where settings will outline how they plan to transform their provision through creativity.
• Work towards this plan in their statement of commitment, receiving ongoing support through Goldsmiths University, Artsmark and The Mighty Creatives network.
• Undertake training in evaluating the impact of their work.
• Complete their second and final formal submission, their Statement of Impact. This is where settings evaluate and provide evidence of the impact of the work delivered over the last two years.
• Submit their final paperwork. The paperwork will be reviewed by Arts Council England, and settings will receive one of three levels: Silver, Gold or Platinum.
• Celebrate their achievements and maybe reapply for the journey again.

Have Virtual Schools completed their Artsmark journey before?

Between 2022-2024, eight Virtual Schools from across the country embarked on an Artsmark pilot for Virtual Schools. The aim of the pilot was to explore whether the Artsmark Framework supported Virtual Schools in developing and demonstrating their commitment to arts and culture. Each Virtual School spent just under two years working on developing, deepening and measuring the impact of their arts and cultural offer for their children and young people. This resulted in participating Virtual Schools receiving their Artsmark awards, recognising their exceptional commitment to creativity.

The Virtual Schools involved in the pilot were:

• Birmingham
• Derbyshire
• Dudley
• Leicestershire
• Staffordshire
• Telford and Wrekin
• Waltham Forest
• Wolverhampton

Who can sign up to Artsmark?

Any Virtual School in England can sign up to Artsmark from March 2025!

To find out more, and to register for Artsmark, please visit their website here.

What is the Collaborative Learning Network?

The peer network, led by The Mighty Creatives Head of Programmes, Emily York and Artsmark Consultant, Amanda McLaren, will provide a space for Artsmark Virtual Schools to share best practice, share and problem solve any challenges and also share learning from their experiences. It’s also there to provide advice and support along the way.

The networks aim is to provide a collaborative learning space for Virtual Schools who are considering going through or already registered for their Artsmark journey to improve their quality, consistency and depth of arts and cultural provision for their children and young people.

This network does not replace the support from the Artsmark team or Goldsmiths University, but it provides added value to Virtual Schools as a collective.

Networking sessions will take place every quarter (every three months), and will be supported by a package of online learning, 1:1 sessions and blog posts.

Want to take a look at our toolkit to help get you started?

Download our toolkit, informed by the Artsmark Virtual School pilot, using the button below!

And if you want to join the network, get in touch with our Head of Programmes, Emily York by emailing: Emily.york@themightycreatives.com.