So, we have created another wall and have asked people to fill the frames with inspiring, quirky and creative drawings.Please come along and have a go.

After asking what moral lessons can be learnt from this song and which religion they follow, I played the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ueYxrA-Zs&list=RD-3ueYxrA-Zs), sang along quietly and then waited for responses.

“It’s about Dignity!”  “It’s about how we see different jobs.”  “It’s like the starter when we ranked different jobs.”

“It’s about saving your money so you can buy what you want rather than getting into debt.”

“I think they are Christians who believe in God because they talk about faith.”

YES!  The ’80s do still have something to teach us today!

Please come and have a look at our talented students work.

For Arts week my Year 7 students collaborated together to produce an art installation inspired by the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Kusama is best known for her brilliantly coloured dotted surfaces, creating environments that people appreciate and enjoy. For Kusama, the dot comes from her experiences as a young child, almost sort of hallucinogenic experiences, where her vision of landscape and people was clouded by spots. Her way of covering the surface of things is a reflection of her vision, but it’s also a way of embracing the whole world in a kind of overall pattern.

Year 7 produced their installation by covering or ‘obliterating’ the reception area at Glenmoor school with dots of many sizes. Students have been looking at colour theory this term and had to consider the use of complementary colours when applying the coloured dots. As you can see from the photos below, the reception was transformed into a colourful area and it has had a positive impact on those who have already experienced the dot obliteration.

ABOVE: ‘Dot Obliteration’ installation designed by Kusama for The Tate.

The Arts University Bournemouth invited Year 9 students to view the ‘Potential Architecture’ exhibition at the university and to produce 3D art in response to the work.

The exhibition brings together new work: sculpture, drawings and models created by Lucy + Jorge Orta during their research on new organic and modular architecture. They view architecture as a reflection of the process that the human cell undertakes from its embryonic state, to a defined cell structural organism, the wonderful building block of our body. The Orta’s work represents a more permanent proposal for sculpture and interventions in urban space.

Students had an opportunity to view and discuss the exhibition. They were then asked to make a series of studies from the artwork and discuss what observations they had made. From this work, students collaborated together to produce their own architectural structures using a range of materials.

Students work will be exhibited during our Arts Showcase Week, so please come and see the fantastic results of the workshop.

 Work by Ellen Gallagher.

Below, work produced by students using plasticine and adverts inspired by Gallagher.

With the instruction to ‘browse’, I obeyed and soon found myself engrossed in what the students were trying to say through their art.  Having taught nearly all the Year 11 boys at some point in their time at Winton, and thinking about their personalities, attitudes and writing abilities that I have experienced in ES lessons, it was fascinating to see a very different style of work from them.  I received a new appreciation of the ability of some of the boys and their expressing of their beliefs and world views through their art.

After the briefing, there was one piece of art work that I expressed an interest in having in the new Ethical & Religious Studies Building, if the student doesn’t want it.  I’ve also thought again about how to engage students using different learning styles.

As for appreciating art, the Louve is now on our list of things to do while on holiday this summer!