New Haw Community School have produced a film which describes how ninety year six children created a clay tile, inspired by a real-life story from the past or present, prompting discussions about tolerance, respect, individual liberty, and the fight for justice.
The three-form entry School are based in Woking near Runnymede in Surrey, the site where the Magna Carta was sealed and the location of Hew Locke’s fascinating installation, ‘The Jurors Chairs’. This was at the centre of their Art unit, and a six-week block of work including a trip to the site, inspiring the children to reflect on the past and consider the fundamental values that we should embody, as humans.
During the film, the narration explains how each lesson led to the next and refers to cross-curricular learning that the children undertook in other subjects that complement this Art project. In history, the students study the changing role of monarchy and democracy in the UK since the days of the formation of Magna Carta and question who really holds the power. In RE lessons, they consider the ‘golden rule: behave towards others as you would wish them to behave towards you’ and its importance in all major religions. The unit enhances learning in PSHE and Geography and the notion that we are global citizens and respectful relationships should be at the heart of our interactions.
The children are always hugely positive about this Art unit and the conversations that their work encourages. The project has evolved over several years and tiles have been produced on themes including the work of Greta Thunberg, Gandhi, Black Lives Matter, The Syrian Refugee Crisis, and Rosa Parkes to name just a few.
This Summer, New Haw Community School are working with St Pauls CoE school in Addlestone by supporting them to follow the unit of work with their year six children. They have also shared planning and sketchbook outcomes with Ottershaw Junior School, another neighbouring school their Culture Collaborative. Their aspiration is for pupils to research deeply into their own area of interest and uncover stories about well-known and unsung heroes and heroines who have used their voice for change. The outcomes of the collaboration will be shared across the schools.