Arts Award Explore, a recognised Entry Level qualification, is open to children and young people up to the age of 25.   To achieve Arts Award Explore, children and young people collect evidence in an individual arts log of their experiences of wide range of the arts.

Students engage by learning about many forms of art; year 3 pupils at Burrowmoor visited the March Museum to study exhibits that show the history of the local railways, they studied art works by Vincent Van Gogh, learnt about and designed their own cave paintings, learnt about cheerleading, and made their own working volcanoes.   Children in Year 5 looked at Pointillism and produced work on this art form, created a dance routine, and also created a shield in the style of the Normans.

A sharing assembly was held for the parents to enjoy and celebrate the children’s work, and the work is now awaiting moderation in order that the qualification can be awarded.

The opportunity to further explore the Arts continues as students move on from Burrowmoor to Neale-Wade, with the opportunity to gain the Level 1 Bronze Arts Award, a qualification open to young people aged 11 to 25.  To achieve this award, young people collect evidence in an individual portfolio of their experiences of the Arts which must include;  actively participating in any art form, attending at least one arts event as an audience member, and researching the career and work of an artist that inspires them. 

All students in Year 8 complete Part A of this qualification through their study of drama.  Students are then able to choose whether they would like to continue working on the project in their own time to gain the qualification, with the help of staff within the Academy.  One of the inspirational factors of this award, is the opportunity to use any art form they choose.

Year 9 students who  go on to study a BTEC in Performing Arts (Drama), then use the first year of their 3 year course to complete this Award.

Both of these awards offer the students at Burrowmoor and Neale-Wade an excellent introduction to a life-long enjoyment of the Arts, and the opportunity to develop into inspirational artists themselves.