The BE OPEN foundation - a charitable organisation designed to foster creativity and innovation, has named the Arts Educational Schools London as one of the top five schools and colleges in the UK and one of the top 40 in Europe.

The latest report - A Review of Policy, Provision and Excellence in Arts Teaching Across Secondary Education in Europe, examines creative education in eight European countries and identifies the five strongest schools and/or colleges in each country.

BE OPEN's aim in creating this report is to help define 'excellence' and recognise leadership in creative education. The ranking reveals that there are relatively few schools where one can gain a rich creative experience, however those which do recognise the potential of creative education are able to give proven argument for its approach, with pupils being more engaged and obtaining better results overall.

Mark Ferrington, Director of Sixth Form said "Our School and Sixth Form provide a unique and wonderful environment in which our students can further their education academically and vocationally. Our students finish Sixth Form with a fantastic set of life skills, assured confidence and the prospect of following our Alumni onto some of the most outstanding higher education/further training destinations in the UK and internationally. Our staff and students are dedicated to achieving excellence in the classroom and on stage."

All at ArtsEd are thrilled to have been recognised on this international platform and to be placed as a leading example of excellent provision of a creative education.

Student Performances

It has been a whirlwind here at ArtsEd over the last few weeks! We’ve seen numerous events taking place, including the KS3 and KS5 Evenings of Dance, the Dance Company Evening, Seussical, Year 7 Drama Sharing, BTEC Assessment Performances of ‘Make Me a Song’, ‘A Slice of Cabaret Night’, Scratch Performances and Contemporary Scenes from Simon Stephens ‘Morning’, Musical Theatre Company performing ‘Dogfight’ (pictured right), the Acting Company’s production of ‘Dinner’, the Year 9 Actors production, the Year 10 performance of ‘Find Me’, the GCSE and ‘A’ Level Art Exhibitions, Live Lounge and the Year 8 Drama performance of ‘The Boy Who Fell Into a Book’, the Eddies film awards evenings and dance assessments galore. No wonder we’re ready for a holiday!

Awards & Achievements

Since September we have worked tirelessly to continue the growth and progress of the last few years. Once again we have improved our key examination results at all levels, and continued to consolidate our position as the most academically successful performing arts school in the U.K. We’ve seen amazing destinations for our Year 11 and Sixth Form students, including RADA, Alvin Ailey, Oxford Brookes, Christ’s Cambridge and of course ArtsEd!

We were recognised in a comprehensive study of all performing arts schools across Europe by the Be Open Foundation – a European arts research consortium – who named us as one of the top five creative schools in the U.K. If you look at the criteria it will come as no surprise that we’re actually number 1!

We were also awarded the ISM Gold Standard for our teaching of Music, and for achieving results in the top 75 schools in the U.K.

The ISI Compliance Inspection took place in March which we passed with flying colours – and the report is now live on the website. Thank you to all the parents and carers who took the time to answer the family online questionnaire.

We should all be incredibly proud of our school and I really hope that you have found your own way of sharing our wonderful successes, and celebrating the fact that you are all a part of the ArtsEd family.

Thank Yous & Goodbyes

We have seen some excellent new additions to the ArtsEd team of teaching staff:

Richard Brunel in English
Emma Northmore in Ballet
Emily Cardno in Dance
Warren Turner in the Learning Support department
Samantha Dye in BTEC Acting
Joe Wilson who is the new Musical Director for BTEC Musical Theatre

I would like to thank all the staff at ArtsEd who work so hard to make it such a wonderful place to work and learn. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to all of the colleagues who are moving on to new adventures. I’m sure you will join me in wishing them every possible success in the future.

Emma Northmore is leaving ArtsEd to take up the exciting challenge of expanding her teaching with professional Ballet companies.

Maria Ribo O’Malley is spending a year in Spain and then moving to Ireland to pursue new endeavours.

Cate Taylor is taking time out from teaching to travel.

Beccy Clarke is leaving teaching to focus on family other pursuits.

And Holly Wingate who is retiring after a wonderful career in education, and 17 invaluable years here as our Day School SENDCO.

There’s also one more goodbye this year, and that’s to Jane Harrison our Principal. There is so much I could say at this point, but it is enough to say that after 14 years at ArtsEd, and the last 8 as Principal, ArtsEd would not be the wonderful, quirky, successful, magical place it is today.

I’d also like to thank our Trustees, who are passionate supporters of all that we do in the Day School and Sixth Form. Without them we wouldn’t be celebrating the level of success that we are now enjoying - and planning all the very, very exciting things that I’m not allowed to tell you about yet – but which include our centenary celebrations in 2019.

Of course we are saying goodbye to our year 13 students and to a number of pupils from year 11. It never really seems to be goodbye as so many former pupils stay in touch and come to shows to support ArtsEd. It’s also not really goodbye when we can go to the theatre or turn on the T.V. and see former students achieving such wonderful success.

I would like to end with two quotes about our School and our Team;

One of our Year 8 students stated in the family survey, and which is now in the Good Schools Guide Report on the school:

“Mum, I don’t think there’s another school in the world that is as good and as fun as ArtsEd.”

A quote from one of the former sixth formers who is now a B.A. Degree student here at ArtsEd,

“It’s the only school I know that’s better than Hogwarts.”

All that’s left for me to say is have a wonderful summer break, and I wish everyone every success in the future.