Etonbury Academy has been handed a prestigious award in recognition of the school’s commitment to the arts.

Arts Council England has presented an Artsmark Gold Award for the school’s high standards within music, drama, performance, art, media production, photography, and the opportunities the students have to excel in these areas.

The award also reflects the rapid development and growth of the school, based on the outskirts of Stotfold.

Etonbury’s principal Alex Prior said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this prestigious award.

“We have invested heavily in the arts as we believe they are the soul of a school, and give students unique opportunities to grow in confidence and develop creative thinking skills and teamwork that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

“The arts also contribute enormously to the whole school experience and ethos, and the happiness and wellbeing of our students.”

The honour comes as the academy revealed its most recent SATs results were the best in its history.

The school appears to have benefitted from an extensive building programme in 2016 as part of its transformation from a middle school to an extended secondary school.

As part of this work the school also added arts facilities including a rooftop arts studio and rooftop art terraces for sketching and sculpture and a media studio.