Art partnership project
The art partnership with Windermere Primary School began two years ago following a tour and discussion of ideas with the Head, building on a wider and longer-term relationship.
The lead art teacher from STAHS has previous experience of organising and teaching primary workshops and Windermere have other partnerships/ workshops with musicians, parents, etc. too so both schools understand the benefits gained by everyone in this type of partnership.
Aims
The aim of this partnership is for groups of STAHS Year 12 students work together to plan and deliver subject-specific activities with young pupils at their school, Windermere Primary School, to create tailored workshops in response to certain year groups and students – in this instance Years 3 and 5 – in relation to their primary curriculum. The specific art activities will be delivered to different year groups on each occasion.
Background
In 2019-20, Year 3 pupils enjoyed two workshops: 'Font Friday', looking at stencil art created in response to artist, Ben Eine, and 'The Prehistoric Word' - charcoal and chalk pastel drawings in response to Cave Paintings. The Year 5 workshop focused on surrealism, specifically painting created in response to Rene Magritte.
In addition to this, the lead art teacher also ran a clay/ pottery CPD session with Windermere staff, to help provide teachers with increased confidence and the skills to use both as medium for 3D art.
Resources
All ideas from Windermere Primary staff, the two STAHS Art teachers and the Sixth Form students are combined into the workshop structure/ planning.
Below are details about each session, including the materials used.
Font Friday: Coloured paper, construction methods such as hanging artwork as bunting the Year 3 pupils’ classroom, enlarged lettering/fonts to work from, PowerPoint visual examples and resources about Ben Eine.
Surrealism Friday: acrylic paint, cartridge paper, sponge technique when using stencils, stencils cut out using STEAM CAM technology from STAHS.
Prehistoric Friday: cartridge and brown package paper, coloured chalks, stencils.
Impact
There are roughly 30 pupils for every workshop taught at Windermere Primary, meaning an interaction with approximately 180 pupils over two years.
"We would very much like to continue this programme" said Windermere Primary Head teacher.
The STAHS pupils said: "I really enjoy spending time with the students, they have so much fun with the activities" and "They learn so much by the end of the day".
Artwork results are valued by staff and pupils alike and are displayed in the pupil’s classrooms at Windermere and STAHSArt tweets imagery also.
Pupil Involvement
Each workshop involves three (different) Sixth Form STAHS students participating in the planning and delivery of each workshop, working directly with the children, overseen by a member of the Art Department.
Frequency
Each of the three workshops were 3.5 hours long (including travel time), and they took place every other month. The workshop timings were designed to coincide with Windermere Primary’s lunch/ lesson timings, as well as allowing Sixth Formers to be involved.
This is an ongoing collaboration.
