Oak Lodge School was awarded Artsmark Gold award.

2. "This is an outstanding application for Artsmark Gold. Arts are clearly
central to the schools work with the pupils and the impact of this is
clearly understood due to the effective evaluation."
Stephen Rudder, Artsmark Assessor

4. Students are encouraged to think creatively- out of
the box. Our staff are encouraged to identify and
reward this thinking.

6. Collaborative teaching means we are
collaboratively learning, we are sharing our
skills and how we teach, so we improve our
practice.

7. "Digital arts is a very strong artform in
addition to the four arts areas"
Stephen Rudder, Artsmark Assessor

8. The arts allow our students to explore their identity
and give them a voice to express themselves.

9. Working thematically provides a springboard for
creative thinking and allows teachers to experience
success in delivering content in new ways.

10. Architecture in
Schools winners
were treated to a
visit to the top of
BT Tower. This is a
rare opportunity.
They were on the
top of the world!

11. “It has been a wonderful challenge that I will
always remember. The children especially
have made us feel very welcome and the
teachers are very enthusiastic and work very
hard at their jobs.”
Brit School Student
“Oak Lodge is a school that has made a positive commitment to delivering
arts education of the highest quality. Through their relationship with the BRIT
School they have been able to develop projects that use and develop
theatre, dance and music skills. They have ambition and a desire to bring
exciting and innovative arts delivery into the experience of the students of
their school.”
Simon Stephens
Assistant Director of Theatre
Community Arts Practice Course Coordinator

12. "Young people united in a shared commitment and passion for
creating art can overcome all difficulties of communication to
create theatre of the highest quality."
Simon Stephens
Assistant Director of Theatre - Brit School

13. I was so confident when we started to act and I was exhilarated when I saw that
the audience gave us an applause when our play finished. I was so inspired by
Simon teaching us how to act. Maybe we could learn more in the future.’
Anya (year 9)
Mid Summers Night Dream
Brit School Collaboration

14. Mid Summers Night Dream
Brit School Collaboration

15. "The exhibition was fantastic! A
lot of people said I was talented
and they asked me how I
designed my t-shirts. I sold a lot
of my work. My mum cried a little
bit when she came to the
exhibition, she had never seen
my artwork before, she was so
proud of me. She hugged me, I
was very happy."
Harrison - Year 11

16. The “Nightingale Lane” ceramic
project saw students renovate a
neglected part of the
neighbourhood, they worked
with Duncan Hooson to create
ceramic tiles in response to a
visit to the William de Morgan
Gallery. The project also saw
the acquisition of a kiln, a
legacy that continues to inspire.

17. "Working outside the school in the public realm
always brings meaning and a sense of "real" work
being done."
Julia Rowntree Nightingale Lane Ceramic Project

18. "Oak Lodge staff are passionate and excited about the
possibilities of art in their teaching and the impact that this
can have for the wider community. There is a culture of
encouragement and support of the pupils in their artistic
expression and this produces an enjoyment and high
standard of work and thinking around the arts subjects."
Stephen Rudder, Artsmark Assessor

19. Do we simply ‘identify’ gifts or do we
want to help create and nurture them?

21. The presence of engaging Arts
experiences within our curriculum
develop our students communication
skills and creative/problem solving skills.
Oak Lodge aims to develop these skills
in order to empower its students to be life
long learners and effective
communicators.

24. The arts feature prominently in our Enquiring
Minds curriculum, providing year 7 and 8 students
opportunities to research, design and perform.

25. “I learned many things about
clay work, and deaf people, I
never knew they could
interact as well as they do, I
also didn't know many things
about syntax and grammar in
sign language. I loved
introducing myself and having
a game of football with all the
students, I will value meeting
so many new people! I really
want to continue learning sign
language and to be able to
communicate with deaf
people.Thanks so much for
the visit!”
Louis (Year 7) ISL Surrey Student

26. Our focus is child
centred, we
encourage
individual
responses and
our students
excel in the arts.

27. "The skills I have
acquired since
attending the staff
art club have
enriched my interest
in art and also given
me the opportunity
to pass on my
knowledge to other
people who
attended, and also
pupils I support in
art classes."
Sandra Brown (TA)

28. Oak lodge extends its arms to the
community and encourages creative
exchanges.

29. “Personally the project has opened my eyes more and enabled to
see the cross curricula links between maths and art (my weakest
subject!) and actually, I learnt a couple of things about ‘model
making’ and developed new ideas to teach maths concepts such as
scales, shapes, spaces, symmetry and so on which I will be
including in future maths lessons. I will certainly be including this
project as part of the maths curriculum in the future as well!!!”
Karthik Vijayanandam (Maths Teacher)

31. The event was the most resounding success and I can honestly say one of the most
exciting I have been to since becoming a councillor some eighteen years ago!
I loved the concept of involving all the youngsters in art, music, and creative dance while
emphasising their cultural differences, drawing together their communities cohesiveness.
I found the whole evening thrilling and am the work that went into the final event will have a
lasting impression on the youngsters that took part.
Councillor Kathy Tracey

32. "I feel that because I’m
part of the Enquiring
Minds Team….I feel
more confident in being
able to apply those
skills. If I weren’t part of
Enquiring Minds I would
never be able to do this.
So Thank you for putting
me in Enquiring Minds."
Karthik Vijayanandam (Maths Teacher)

33. Team Challenges

34. Creativity is valued very highly, and as a result our
students offer creative ideas freely.

35. The arts are utilised to engage and fire
imaginations, offering dynamic ways to
learn and communicate.

36. "We made the deaf club look
modern. A place for deaf people,
made by deaf people!”
Year 8 Student
Architecture in Schools Competition- Designing Deaf Spaces

37. Experiential learning helps our students
build a better understanding of the world.

38. Tamar Community
Project
Participating in project work builds a sense
of community and encourages inclusion.

40. “It was great to visit Oak Lodge and to see the spectacular creative
arts exhibition. The scale and range of work is truly outstanding and
communicates individual student's expressiveness very powerfully.”
Parent comment

41. Our video documenting
the “What on Earth is Clay”
project has been shown
nationally and
internationally. Julia
Rowntree points out, “the
outstanding vision and
skills brought to these
projects have gone on to
make a significant
contribution in terms of
content, approach and
enquiry to other projects
we are leading at a
regional, national and
international level.”

43. "For the first time at the BRIT
School we had a mixed
company of deaf and
hearing student actors
working and performing
together. They had found a
unique performance
language of their own."
Simon Stephens
Assistant Director of Theatre
Brit School

44. Arts projects contribute towards our schools identity,
sharing outstanding achievements through
performances, presentations and video screenings
forge a sense of belonging and promote inclusion.

45. Cross curriculum project work has a strong emphasis on
recording learning and experiences through many different
medium, this often complements and drives our student’s
vocabulary and literacy development.

46. New curriculum delivery has enabled us to work
collaboratively with other teachers, to team teach, to
experiment with teaching approaches that embrace arts
activities as vehicles of expression as springboards for new
ideas and as ways of physically, emotionally and
intellectually connecting with thematic learning. Resulting in
deep and rewarding learning experiences for all involved.
Staff and students alike!

47. The arts are utilised to engage and fire imaginations, offering dynamic
ways to learn and communicate. Cross curriculum project work has a
strong emphasis on recording learning and experiences through many
different medium, this often complements and drives our student’s
vocabulary and literacy development.

48. "It helped so much with
their understanding of
world, helped them gain
confidence in working
with hearing peers and
definitely established
them as consummate
performers. A great
experience for all and
one they still remember."
Cathie Campbell- English teacher

49. "Oak Lodge is a school that has
made a positive commitment to
delivering arts education of the
highest quality. Through their
relationship with the BRIT
School they have been able to
develop projects that use and
develop theatre, dance and
music skills. They have ambition
and a desire to bring exciting
and innovative arts delivery into
the experience of the students
of their school."
Simon Stephens
Assistant Director of Theatre - Brit School

50. The arts are utilised to engage and fire
imaginations, offering dynamic ways to
learn and communicate.

52. "Oak Lodge students have an almost tangible love for the arts and
enthusiasm for learning and self-expression through the arts. They
also display a confidence and pride in their achievements."

53. The considerable breadth and balance of the
curriculum adds significantly to pupils’

54. "The skills I have acquired since
attending the staff art club have
enriched my interest in art and
also given me the opportunity to
pass on my knowledge on to
pupils I support in art classes."
Sandra Brown (TA)

55. 'Innovation is the fuel
that drives the global
economy and it must be
fostered in our nation's
schools'.

56. "All were involved in the creative
process. It proved a great
source of inspiration for creative
writing and thinking and was a
fantastic way of extending the
pupils' vocabulary. Students
were extremely motivated and it
improved their self-confidence.
The acting motivated the
students during literacy sessions
to read more Greek stories. They
then planned, created and wrote
their own creative story. The
pupils were empowered in their
own learning."
Let's Create- Brit School
Ben Turner, English Co-ordinator collaboration

57. We pride ourselves on creating a curriculum which
grows the gifts in our learners and unearths talents
previously unrecognised.

58. Criteria for ability identification includes practical skills
and creative characteristics such as:
• Can depict or describe in an illuminating or revealing way.
• Has an ability to persevere and work independently.
• Is sensitive to materials or processes.
• Displays a great deal of curiosity about many things.
• Generates a large number of ideas or solutions to problems
and questions; often offers unusual (‘way out’) unique
responses.
• Is uninhibited in expressions of opinion.
• Is a high risk taker; is adventurous and speculative.

59. Oak Lodge schools curriculum
initiatives have been recognised
by OFSTED as “cutting edge”.

60. "I learned many things about clay work, and deaf people, I never knew
they could interact as well as they do, I also didn't know many things
about syntax and grammar in sign language. I loved introducing
myself and having a game of football with all the students, I will value
meeting so many new people! I really want to continue learning sign
language and to be able to communicate with deaf people.
Thanks so much for the visit!"
Deaf Awareness visit and ceramic workshop
Louis (Year 7) International School of London

61. Lunch with the Oak Lodge students was
different, because it was quiet, but people
first offered food to others before they took
for themselves. A respectful way of eating!
Max (Year 7) International School of London- Surrey
Deaf Awareness visit and ceramic workshop

63. Architect- Martin Glover communicated his passion for ‘Deaf
Spaces’ throughout his presentations. He commented: “ As the
students became more confident, they became self-assessors,
they were able to change and modify ideas. At the end of the
process they created really informed designs. I hope I have
encouraged them to become involved in the world of design."
Open City Architecture in Schools

64. "This project has enabled
pupils to think outside the
box, to be creative and
imaginative. It was a very
visual project and our
pupils were able to relate
to that due to having a
very visual language
(BSL). Not only were
they able to work well in
teams, they were also
able to be individuals
with their ideas and
contributions."
Teaching Assistant Open City Architecture in Schools

65. "Oak Lodge School is nothing less than a national asset as
far as the arts go. Its skill and experience in working with
outside partners means that it has become, in the case of
Clayground Collective, a kind of laboratory in which ideas
have been tested that have now gone on to inspire many
other children and teachers."
Julia Rowntree

66. "The entire school staff from Head Teacher to teaching assistants, to kitchen staff, to the caretaker, to
staff responsible for timetabling, the cleaners and people working on reception, do everything to help
exciting, sometimes challenging, arts projects happen for Oak Lodge students"
Julia Rowntree

67. "Oak Lodge school is a truly extraordinary creative
learning laboratory.”
Julia Rowntree

69. "Oak lodge school's overall commitment to learning
via the arts meant that our work together really
created something of huge value to all involved."
Julia Rowntree
Co-director Clayground Collective
Clayground

70. A project to explore clay across the curriculum and to
celebrate this amazing material throughout time and
across cultures.

71. "There was an air of family, and real mutual affection
about the way students and staff worked together."
Ellie Doney- Artist

72. "I would recommend Oak Lodge as a great place for art
learning and art making. I wish my school had been more
like this!"
Ellie Doney- Artist

73. "Oak Lodge enables its students to access information as directly as possible.
The students express their opinions really clearly, they are engaged. And
when OLS staff work with the students I was really impressed at how they
stretch them and expect only the best."
Jonathan Huxley - Artist

74. "On many levels I feel that this school is a good example of best practice
for both hearing and non hearing schools and clearly demonstrates the
power of art to change lives. I have no issue with recommending Oak
Lodge School for Artsmark Gold."
Stephen Rudder, Artsmark Assessor

75. "For us working with Oak Lodge was a very high quality
partnership which fully engaged staff, students and participating
artists. Through Oak Lodge students' and staff's generous
sharing of ideas ReachOutRCA gained valuable insights into
experiences of being deaf. ReachOutRCA staff leant some basic
sign language and were fired up to learn more!"
Celia Pym
ReachOutRCA
Royal College of Art

76. "Their excitement at the
building exploration was
tangible and It was
fantastic and a huge
accolade to the staff and
students at Oak Lodge
that their entry to the
Architecture in Schools:
Secondary Awards won
the Overall Prize for the
inter-school competition,
competing against
mainstream schools – it
was fantastic to see the
students’ tangible pride at
the awards ceremony."
Fiona McDonald
Open City

77. "The group struggled at the beginning of the project
to work together as a team, however, now they are
happy to compromise with each other and pull
together so that the whole group can shine."
Laura, Handprint Theatre
Handprint
theatre

78. "When OLS staff
work with the
students I was really
impressed at how
they stretch them
and expect only the
best."
Jonathan Huxley- Artist

79. "We had our staff discussion at the end of each session which has really
assisted our planning and contributed towards the completion of a
successful project. I think that's what we should all take from this
process.. That it is a shared partnership, it's not just someone visiting."
Lucy Roberio- National Portrait Project

80. “It has been a wonderful challenge that I will
always remember. The children especially have
made us feel very welcome and the teachers are
very enthusiastic and work very hard at their jobs.”
Brit School Student
Brit school

81. Design for a Purpose: Garden Mobile
Project
"Thank you year 8/9 for the magical, colourful mobile. The children
love playing with it and keep practicing signing the names of the
animals. we would love more sign language workshops please!"
Teddies

82. Enjoyment = Involvement = Achievement