I am trained and accredited by Trinity College London to teach and assess all five levels: Discover, Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Yes! Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold are regulated qualifications on the national framework:

• Explore: Entry Level Award in the Arts (Entry 3)

• Bronze: Level 1 Award in the Arts

• Silver: Level 2 Award in the Arts

• Gold: Level 3 Award in the Arts

Note: Discover is an introductory level designed to build confidence. While not a regulated qualification, it is officially certificated by Trinity College London.

Arts Award is officially open to children and young people up to age 25. While Trinity College London designs each level with general age ranges in mind, placement also depends on your child's individual ability, confidence, and developmental stage rather than strictly their school year group:

• Discover: Designed for ages 5–9 (KS1 & lower KS2)

• Explore: Designed for ages 7–11 (upper KS2)

• Bronze: Designed for ages 11–14 (KS3)

• Silver: Designed for ages 14–16 (KS4)

• Gold: Designed for ages 16+ (KS5 and beyond)

I will always discuss where your child is on their individual creative journey to help select the level that feels most supportive and encouraging for them.

Yes! Gold Arts Award is a Level 3 qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) and earns 16 UCAS tariff points.

It is recognised by UK universities and higher education institutions, making it a valuable addition to personal statements and university applications for young people pursuing creative degrees or related fields.

Trinity College London provides the following estimated guidelines for Guided Learning Hours (time spent learning with an adviser) and Independent Learning Hours (time spent working independently at home):

• Discover: 20 Guided Learning Hours (no set independent hours required)

• Explore: 25 Guided Learning Hours + 10 Independent Learning Hours

• Bronze: 40 Guided Learning Hours + 20 Independent Learning Hours

• Silver: 60 Guided Learning Hours + 35 Independent Learning Hours

• Gold: 90 Guided Learning Hours + 60 Independent Learning Hours

Please note: These figures are helpful benchmarks, but actual time spent can vary significantly for each individual. Factors such as age, personal ability, SEND requirements, session frequency, and individual working style mean some young artists may need more time—or less—to comfortably build their portfolio and achieve their award.

Payment is broken down into simple, manageable stages so costs are spread out across your child's creative journey:

• 1. Initial Enrolment Fee (Silver & Gold): Paid upfront when your child registers for the qualification to cover planning, evidence tracking and ongoing administrative support.

• 2. Studio Lessons: Paid on a half-termly basis, following our standard studio term timetable.

• 3. Certification & Admin Fee: Paid upon completion of the portfolio, just before the work is submitted to Trinity College London for official assessment and certificate issuing.

Higher-level awards (Silver & Gold) involve significant behind-the-scenes work outside of studio hours. This fee covers for things like planning, detailed portfolio gap-checking, evidence tracking, any reporting to schools, for SEND or funding, and emails.

To help them build a successful portfolio, students are responsible for:

• Taking care of their portfolio: Bringing their arts log or portfolio to every lesson.

• Keeping work organised: Organising their pages according to the project toolkit so no work gets misplaced.

• Doing independent work: Completing any simple tasks set between sessions.

• Doing their own work: Ensuring all creations and reflections are entirely their own (parents and carers can support and encourage, but the artwork and thoughts must come directly from the young artist).

Work doesn't need to be perfect, but it does need to be legible so both I and the official Trinity College London moderator can read and assess their ideas. For students who find writing or handwriting challenging, we can explore alternative ways to record their thoughts, such as video, audio recordings or typed notes.

To achieve their award, students must demonstrate all required criteria for their chosen level and provide complete evidence across each section. I guide students step-by-step to ensure everything is covered before submitting their portfolio for final moderation.

Yes! Exploring the wider art world is a key part of the higher levels (Explore through to Gold). Depending on their award level, students will get to experience real-world creative events, which may include:

• Explore & Bronze: Visiting art galleries, museums, or local exhibitions, and exploring artists' work.

• Silver & Gold: Interviewing practicing artists, attending college open days, workshops, visiting art fairs, and completing creative work experience or leadership projects.

Please note: While I guide students on what activities fit their criteria, parents and carers are responsible for arranging and facilitating trips, visits, and work experience placements outside of studio hours.

Students can build their portfolio in whichever format best suits their learning style and creative preference:

• Physical Sketchbooks: A traditional, hands-on folder or book. I provide basic A4 sketchbooks for studio use, but if your child would prefer a specific style, size, paper weight, or ring-bound sketchbook, parents/carers are welcome to purchase this separately for them.

• Digital Portfolios: For students who prefer typing, audio recording, digital photography, or video reflections, portfolios can also be created digitally.

Whichever format they choose, we ensure their work is neatly organised and meets all Trinity College London requirements.