Grove Primary School Art Week, Romford
Grove Primary School had a new building and as lovely as it was, it was looking very clean and clinical and not much like a learning environment. Our brief was to run lots of workshops for pupils to make artwork that would add colour and personality to the walls. The work needed to last and not fade, rip or need replacing for many years to come. The theme was 'who we are' so we looked at : portraits; self-portraits; local architecture; local wetlands and wildlife; their favourite pastimes and hobbies; making mirrors (reflections of themselves); London architecture and landmarks; city/town/countryside landscapes; multicultural patterns from fabrics representing the multicultural school population.
"The playground has been transformed from a dark and gloomy space into a vibrant area the children love to be in."
Gweneth Lee
Headteacher
Over two weeks (one week in Summer Term and one in Autumn Term), Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 had an extravaganza of art workshops based on learning about new art techniques and artists.
The projects involved over 230 children, most worked with two different projects and mediums. We carefully drew up a timetable (with lots of help from Ailsa Burfoot Deputy Head and organiser of this project) of different experiences for the pupils. They used clay, printing, collage, mosaic, painting and of course drawing (the backbone of all art).
"It has enriched our environment and the children are really proud of their work. They have been very excited to have had an impact on their new building. The workshops created a buzz with the children who were really excited to be using unusual materials and making their mark on their school. It was great to look at art such as Matisse cut-outs, David Hockney's 'Road', as well as local wildlife and local buildings."
Ailsa Burfoot
Deputy Head