Year 6 Step into Art and Literature in St Ives

Year 6 swapped their classrooms for the Cornish coast, venturing to St Ives for a day of art and English exploration. The trip brought together inspiration, imagination, and hands-on learning in this beautiful Cornish location.

Throughout the day, pupils rotated between three inspiring locations, Porthmeor Beach, Tate St Ives, and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, with each offering a different way to connect words, images, and ideas.

At Porthmeor Beach, sketchbooks were opened as pupils captured the light, textures, and sounds of the coast. Using their handmade concertina sketchbooks, they noted details that will inspire creative writing back in the classroom. Pupils also made beautiful sand sculptures using foraged treasures.

Inside the Tate St Ives, pupils were guided through the gallery and discovered how artists such as Alfred Wallis and Barbara Hepworth used colour, movement, and material to tell stories, and saw first-hand how creative expression can cross between brush, pen, and sculpture. They also viewed the work of contemporary artist Liliana Lijn, who creates sculptures and artworks out of an extraordinary array of materials, including lights and moving elements.

The journey continued to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, where pupils explored the artist’s home and studio. Wandering among Hepworth’s iconic sculptures, pupils learned how she was the first to use openings or “holes” to create connections and light within her work, encouraging viewers to see sculpture from fresh perspectives.

After a picnic lunch and a run along the sand, everyone returned to the coach with sketchbooks full of ideas, sandy shoes, and stories to tell. The children’s enthusiasm, curiosity, and impeccable behaviour drew praise from staff and members of the public alike.

A huge thank you to all who made the day possible, especially Miss Ashdown and Ms Cadwallader, and to our wonderful Year 6 pupils, who continue to show how learning in Cornwall can be as inspiring as the landscape itself.