Artist educators Natalie Ryde and Julie Vermeille have been running art sessions alongside teachers at Columbia Primary School once a week since September.

Natalie and Julie have working with Columbia Primary in Tower Hamlets to deliver weekly art lessons alongside teachers, as a form of ‘live CPD’ for staff.

Opportunities to co-teach provide more flexibility with teaching new processes with full classes. This way, students are able to get more from their lessons, and teachers can gain confidence in their delivery.

One of my children were nervous about art and would take a lot for them to make a start but they were thriving in these lessons!

Teacher

Each session is developed in line with the classes termly topics to reinforce learning across the curriculum.

In the photos above, Year 1 children are exploring the theme ‘Home Sweet Home’ through printmaking, 3D modelling and collage.

Using various materials to explore, the artists encouraged children to express what home means to them, to imagine what different homes can look like and what they can be built from.

The children looked at and took inspiration from work by contemporary artists Carson Ellis, Anne Laval and Woody De Othello.

I have learnt the importance of making links between ‘real art’/artists work and what the children are doing in class. It gives a clear context and purpose to their work.

Teacher

Learn more about the different ways your school can work with Bow Arts here.