Gold Arts Mark award for Blackpool's Boundary School

The school, on Dinmore Avenue in Grange Park, has been awarded the Gold Arts Mark in recognition of its commitment to the performing arts and culture.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, Boundary’s choir performed at community events on the Grange Park estate. sang at local care homes and all pupils from the four oldest year groups enjoyed a yearly panto show performed by Blackpool Sixth Form College students

In addition, the school has established contacts with both the Royal Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Confirming the award by letter, the Arts Council England told head teacher Suzanne Ashton: "It is wonderful to read of the commitment of Boundary Primary to the value of

the Arts, particularly to a school population that would otherwise be largely deprived of such experiences and opportunities.

" Boundary Primary School has worked extremely hard to provide all of its pupils, parents and the local community with high quality arts and cultural experiences."

Sarah Akin, who leads the performing arts department said “Our entire team and governing body are passionate about giving our pupils as many performance and cultural

opportunities as we possibly can.

"We have established partnerships with the Royal Ballet, Jo Cleasby and the Blackpool Grand Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company and we

haven’t let Covid restrictions stop us with Zoom classes and events taking place for both

dance and drama!

"Prior to the first lockdown, we regularly ran theatre trips and some of our pupils even received the opportunity of ballroom dancing in the Tower Ballroom.

"More recently, we have produced our own virtual nativity with our Early Years children, performed with other schools in the first ever digital Blackpool Dance Festival and have

enjoyed Zoom performances and interviews with the RSC.”