Museums celebrate prestigious education award

The Sandford Award for Heritage Education – a scheme managed by the Heritage Education Trust – acknowledges the quality of the curriculum enrichment sessions offered by the city’s museums.

Leicester retained the award after a stringent assessment process, which included a judge visiting Leicester Museum & Art Gallery to observe learning sessions and interview staff, teachers and participants.

 

Each award is valid for five years.

The museums’ popular learning programme reaches more than 24,000 schoolchildren each year, with all proceeds going straight back in to supporting Leicester Museums and Galleries.

In its citation, the Heritage Education Trust said:

“Leicester Museum and Art Gallery houses a fantastic collection of Fine Art, Egyptology, Natural Sciences, and Palaeontology. The collection is beautifully presented in modern galleries inside a historic building of significant local importance. The formal learning programme is broad and deep and is complimented by a wide range of gallery-based interactive displays and Augmented Reality applications. It is one of several jewels in the crown of the Leicester Museum and Galleries’ portfolio and offers visitors many informal learning opportunities and a fun day out.”

Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre, which is also run by Leicester Museums and Galleries, holds the Sandford Award too.

The Sandford Award is managed by the Heritage Education Trust in partnership with Bishop Grosseteste University and supported by Historic Royal Palaces. Awards will be presented at a ceremony at Kensington Palace on 10 December.

More information about curriculum enriching activities that help students learn with Leicester's Museums is available here.