A new approach to art is inspiring pupils at a Worcestershire school. 

Abberley Hall School has invested in a complete refurbishment of its art facilities and appointed a new head of department.

Emma Symons has taken on the role of head of art at the Great Witley school and has overseen the initiative.

“The art rooms have been refurbished to create a bright, light area and now include a new kiln in our workshop where pupils can do more ceramics and enamelling,” she explained.

“Our vision was to have a welcoming space to allow pupils to come here during their spare time, as well as during scheduled lessons, using a ‘free time zone’ stocked with all sorts of materials and paper, and this has worked well.

“By encouraging the children to drop in during breaks and evenings a system has been introduced to enhance independent learning, which is now an important part of the art curriculum.

She added: “This approach has boosted the children’s creativity, helping them to develop their own art projects and experiment with different media and techniques.”

She added that the art department worked closely with the school’s design manufacturing department and that an exhibition of work by top year pupils of both subjects was on display at the moment.

The theme for design manufacturing is up-cycling - reinventing objects to give them a new lease of life. 

The art theme is lettering, where pupils chose a phrase and developed it into a piece of art.