Excelsior Academy Achieves Artsmark Platinum Award

Excelsior Academy has been awarded the Artsmark Platinum Award 2026, recognising its commitment to making arts, creativity and cultural experiences an important part of education.

Artsmark, awarded by Arts Council England, celebrates settings that place creativity at the heart of learning and give young people opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and understanding of the world around them through the arts.

Achieving Platinum is recognition of the value Excelsior places on creative education and the opportunities available to pupils to explore their interests, try new things and learn in different ways. The arts can help young people develop communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills, while giving them opportunities to express their ideas, build confidence and discover talents they may not have recognised in themselves.

These experiences also help pupils connect their learning to the wider world. Engaging with different art forms, performances and cultural settings can introduce young people to new perspectives, inspire future interests and help them understand the role creativity plays in everyday life and future careers.

As part of Laidlaw Schools Trust, Excelsior pupils can also benefit from Trust-wide events and cultural experiences, including opportunities connected with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Northern Stage. By bringing young people into contact with artists, creative spaces and professional performances, these experiences extend learning beyond the classroom and help make cultural opportunities more accessible.

The award reflects the importance of ensuring that creativity is not an added extra, but a meaningful part of young people’s education. For pupils, this means opportunities to develop skills that support learning across the curriculum, build relationships and discover new interests, regardless of their starting point or background.

Congratulations to everyone at Excelsior Academy who has contributed to this achievement. The Platinum Award is an important recognition of the role arts and creativity play in providing an extraordinary education for every young person.