FALMOUTH Art Gallery has won the Sandford Award for Heritage Education for the second time.

Staff and volunteers at the gallery impressed the panel of the Sandford Awards with their school workshops which were observed first hand by lead judge, Robin Clutterbuck who wrote: "'This is wonderful’ was the comment of a member of the public stepping around the six-year-olds sprawled on the floor of Falmouth Art Gallery splashing colour onto a massive painting of the rainforest, all galleries should be like this.

"With just three small galleries and no education room (except the town council chamber which doubles as a lunch room and workshop space), the gallery has turned what could be quiet hallowed spaces into busy art rooms - in so doing they have literally placed education at the core of their service. Brilliant. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Falmouth Art Gallery for a Sandford Award."

The classes observed were attended by year one and year six from Constantine School who enjoyed workshops based around the theme of the rainforest, to tie in with their whole school project on forests.

The Sandford Awards are run by the Heritage Education Trust. Entrants for the awards are assessed by a panel of independent judges. The current panel of judges is drawn from professional educationalists including Ofsted inspectors, former head teachers, education consultants and heritage property based education officers.

The gallery’s current exhibition Rodney Peppé: Astonishing Automata and Marvellous Machines can be seen for free until September 12 . The gallery is open Monday to Saturday 10 to 5.