Pupils and staff at Cherry Grove Primary in Chester are celebrating after receiving a prestigious Artsmark Award.

Artsmark is Arts Council England’s award for schools that champion the arts and strive for excellence.

It celebrates schools that embrace the arts across the curriculum, bringing them to life for children and young people.

To become an Artsmark school, Cherry Grove had to develop its arts and culture provision to achieve a broad and balanced curriculum.

This was achieved by creating an overall plan that was committed to and delivered across the whole school.

As an Artsmark school, Cherry Grove 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, Cherry Grove 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 this award, headteacher Mike Bousfield said: “Partly through the focus that being part of Artsmark brings, our children have had some great learning experiences, visiting galleries, watching the Royal Ballet rehearse and perform, performing their own dances, performing at a Shakespeare festival in Stratford, singing in a choir of thousands, writing and performing their own school song about children’s rights.

“This brings alive our whole curriculum and inspires the children to make the most of the opportunities around them.

“The arts are critical in developing children’s expression, creativity and reasoning skills. The Artsmark Gold award is wonderful recognition and a celebration of our effort and achievement in this area.”

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said: “I would like to congratulate Cherry Grove on their Artsmark Award.

“As an Artsmark school, Cherry Grove exemplifies how the award can help schools to achieve a broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring that each of its pupils is given the opportunity to explore and build a love of the arts that will remain with them as they go through adult life.”