Harleston Primary School shows a talent for art

Youngsters at a school which has won an Artsmark Gold award enjoyed a workshop with a professional artist last week, thanks to the talents of a fellow pupil.

Benjamin Marjoram, 11, from Harleston Primary School, won the best Key Stage 2 painting – called 'The Determined Athlete' – for the Olympics in a competition organised by Norfolk County Council.

His prize was a day's art workshop for the school, and he chose one called 'Sunflower Olympics' run by artist Kate Munro who showed the pupils how to be creative with transparencies.

Headteacher Roger Walsh said: 'Ben won the best Key Stage 2 picture across Norfolk – that's a real achievement.'

The workshop followed hot on the heels of the school winning its Artsmark Gold award for all the activities it offers to encourage pupils' creativity and appreciation of the arts, including art, music, drama, dance and creative writing.

Mr Walsh said: 'We're delighted to get the award – it's the highest a school can get, a terrific achievement. It shows we are offering high-quality artistic education, from bringing professionals in to work with the children to taking the children out on arts-related trips.'

Among the many artistic activities enjoyed by youngsters from the school have been trips to the Tate Modern in London and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich, working with actors at the Globe Theatre, seeing the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and taking part in Victoriam dancing and circus skills, and the school put on a world music festival which included bhangra dancers.