TOP marks have been given to a Suffolk school for its outstanding work in the arts.King Edward VI Upper School in Bury St Edmunds has been presented with an Artsmark Gold award, the highest accolade the Arts Council of Great Britain can hand a school.

TOP marks have been given to a Suffolk school for its outstanding work in the arts.

King Edward VI Upper School in Bury St Edmunds has been presented with an Artsmark Gold award, the highest accolade the Arts Council of Great Britain can hand a school.

The award recognises the school's teaching in music, art, drama, media studies and dance.

Over the past year the school has held a range of concerts, put on art exhibitions, staged an arts festival, worked on art for St Edmundsbury Cathedral, organised music days and taken part in the National Theatre New Connexions drama contest.

Geoff Barton, headteacher said: "It is a great pleasure to have all of our hard work recognised by being given the Art Council's highest award.

"The school has always been known for its commitment to the arts, and over the last few years drama has also been developed.

"We have now got two brand new dance teachers who have come fresh from college who we hope will be able to attract more students to take up dancing.

"Most people in Suffolk know of our reputation for the arts and this just demonstrates our existing strengths."

The school, which recently qualified to become a specialist sports college, has helped the eastern region become the area with the most schools to achieve the award in the whole country.

Deirdre McGonagle,of the Arts Council England East said: "This figure is a testament to the healthy state of the arts in our schools and to the dedication of those schools that have achieved the gold standard."