A school’s proud connections to the arts has continued after they were awarded the highest accolade by the Arts Council of England for a second time.

Staff and students at Thomas Gainsborough School are celebrating achieving the platinum level Artsmark award for the second successive year.

It highlights the outstanding level of arts provision at the school and the fact they have taken a lead role in shaping arts in the region.

Ed Clark, head of art and design at Thomas Gainsborough School said: “We continue to be extremely proud to be recognised as a platinum level Artsmark school and will strive to continue innovating in the arts, working with others to expand our provision and to stay at the forefront of thinking in creative education.”

The school has pursued a variety of projects to gain the prestigious accolade including new visual communications strategies and leading a group of CALSAs (cultural and arts leaders in schools and academies) who have worked to expand arts and cultural provision in five different schools across four towns.

In awarding the platinum status, the Artsmark judging panel praised the school for offering “so many exciting options” around arts education.

They said: “Thomas Gainsborough School detail an extensive high quality arts offer for students.

“The depth of offer around the Arts from 16-19 is impressive and opens up a wide variety of training and learning opportunities for young people that in many other contexts would be less visible.

“Youth voice and consultation is strong and the range of partnerships developed from RSA to Whole Education is relevant and holds the potential to be strategically powerful.

“Overall, a very impressive approach to arts-rich education and particularly heartening to see so many exciting options still on offer in the 16-19 age range.”