Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School

Pupils were awarded certificates by Councillors Samantha Harvey and Lorna Malkin, Arts Council England’s Pete Massey, Helen Challenger and Helen Young from Wakefield Council, and YSP’s Learning team in a presentation which took place at the school on Wednesday 6 March. To achieve their award, pupils – who had never visited YSP before – spent valuable time with their families, taking part in a variety of creative workshops at the Park and their local community, over a period of a few months. Families worked together to learn about and creatively respond to artwork in the outdoors at YSP. The children learnt new art and critical-thinking skills, working alongside professional artists, by experimenting with printmaking, photography and ceramics, in the beautiful outdoor setting. The Arts Award mission is to support young people who want to deepen their engagement with the arts, build creative and leadership skills, and achieve a national qualification. Pete Massey, Director North, Arts Council England, said: “Arts Award is a great way for young people to get recognised for their achievement in the arts and I’m thrilled to be able to present these awards to these amazing young people from Mackie Hill Junior and Infant School. The Arts Council passionately believes that taking part in arts and cultural activity should be a part of every young person’s life, not just because it’s fun and enjoyable, but because we know what a positive impact it can have on broader learning outcomes. I’m really pleased to see the support and encouragement that these young people have received from Yorkshire Sculpture Park whose expert Learning team have taken them and their families on this fantastic journey of creative exploration.”

Press release - YSP - 6th March