In March the whole school embarked on ‘The National Gallery’s Take One Picture 2025’. This is a national programme for primary schools, which aims to inspire a lifelong love of Art and Learning. Every year the gallery takes one picture from the collection to inspire cross-curricular work in primary classrooms. (The National Gallery, online 2025).
This year the picture was ‘Canaletto’s; A Regatta On The Grand Canal’, circa 1740.
The project launch took place in the school hall, where all pupils across the school were introduced to the picture. This involved learning about Canaletto, life in Venice and Europe at the time. Pupils were shown an investigative learning approach and were encouraged to question and research around the image.
The pupils then took part in an exciting array of activities and workshops, including glass painting, creating mosaic photo frames, fabric collages, venetian mask making and decoration, stop motion animation, making model boats and gondolas (from various materials) to name a few. Poetry was explored in English lessons, resulting in a trip to local Canals to inspire the pupils. Form 1 visited the Italian gardens at Trentham. Class teachers also planned activities throughout the week to promote cross curricular learning based on the picture.
One of the highlights of the TOP project has almost certainly been, our prep children taking part in the most marvellous glass workshops, led by two glass artists at Cabbage Rose in Leek. The artists visited the school and delivered two workshops, to both Prep 3 & 4, and to Prep 5 & 6. The workshops were centered around Canaletto’s ‘A Regatta On The Grand Canal’ and the glass from the nearby Island of Murano.
The glass artists brought in glass from Venice, as well as blown glass. Initially, various forms, techniques and processes of glass making were explored through discussion. Then followed the glass fusion workshops…. pupils developed the most beautiful creations! We simply can’t wait to see the finished results after firing!
In Art and Design we are still very much working on the TOP project, and pupils are well under way with creations. They have had the most fabulous opportunities throughout this project.
Special thanks goes to our wonderful EPTA, who have kindly funded the workshops, thus, allowing for the pupils to have such a rare and wonderful experience! Thank you!
Categories: School Blogs
