Q1. What is the Museums and Schools Programme?

This programme is funded by the Department for Education through Arts Council England and is one of a number of responses to key recommendations from Cultural Education: an independent review by Darren Henley.

In the East Midlands the Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire (AHL) partnership, under the auspices of Lincolnshire County Council, works with the Royal Air Force Museum and The Mighty Creatives to provide educational visits at 10 unique aviation sites and two associated museums.

It will offer more than 100 schools and thousands of students from the county the opportunity to learn about Lincolnshire’s aviation heritage, and share local stories about important national events.

Q2. Is this available to all schools?

All schools are very welcome. One condition of the funding is we that we reach out to areas which currently have lower than average cultural engagement. For this reason we are particularly keen to work with schools who do not yet have the Artsmark award and those which have higher than the national average of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Q3. Which sites can we visit?

A list of sites can be found on the top right hand side of this page in the blue box. Newark Air Museum is also included: http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/

Q4. What teaching resources are available?

Teaching resources are available by following this link: Teachers Resources or email aviationheritage@lincolnshire.com

Q5. Who do I contact to arrange a visit?

Once you have selected the site or sites you would like to visit, please contact them directly to make arrangements.

Q6. The museum is closed when we plan to visit, what do I do?

In the event that the site is not open when you plan to visit please email aviationheritage@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the details of which site you’d like to visit, along with your desired date and time. Please do not use this email address to arrange a trip if the site is open when you plan to visit (see Q5).

Q7. Is there any assistance with travel costs for visits?

We will reimburse up to 50% of the travel costs up to a value of £100.

Q8. Can you tell me more about Artsmark?

Artsmark is Arts Council England’s flagship programme to enable schools and other organisations to evaluate, strengthen and celebrate their arts and cultural provision.

Artsmark is nationally recognised as demonstrating excellence in arts and cultural provision. Holding Artsmark status demonstrates that your school or setting values the arts and culture.

It raises the public profile of a school or setting in the eyes of prospective students, their families and across the wider community.

Artsmark contributes to the cultural aspect of Ofsted’s requirement that a school promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Find out more about the programme or the impact of Artsmark.

Q9. When can our school apply for an Artsmark?

The Artsmark network is available and you can submit your application anytime up to April 2016. Find out more about who can apply or emailus at: aviationheritage@lincolnshire.gov.uk.