Year 6 Explore St Ives

Year 6 swapped their classrooms for the Cornish coast, venturing to St Ives for a memorable day of Art and Literary inspiration. Bathed in autumn sunshine, the children were incredibly lucky to experience St Ives in such wonderful light and to understand why St Ives has long inspired great works of art.

By exploring the work of a range of different artists, responding creatively to the world around them and sharing ideas, pupils were encouraged to look closely, think deeply and discover how their own creativity can make a difference.

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

At Porthmeor Beach, pupils captured the changing light, textures, colours and sounds of the coast in their sketchbooks, work that will provide inspiration for creative writing and art back in the classroom. Pupils embraced the opportunity to be hands-on, creating sand sculptures using foraged finds from the beach.

Inside Tate St Ives, pupils were guided through the gallery, discovering how artists such as Wallis, Wood, Nicholson and Moss used colour, movement and materials to communicate ideas. They saw first-hand how creative expression can transition between brush, pen and sculpture, while exploring the diverse work of Halima Cassell and the exhibit ‘Shelters for the Senses’ by Aleksandra Kasuba.

At the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, pupils explored the artist’s former home and studio. Wandering among Hepworth’s iconic sculptures, they discovered how she used holes within her work to create connections with light and space. Seeing the sculptures in their original setting encouraged pupils to view familiar ideas from new perspectives and consider how artists can challenge the way we see the world.

The day provided countless opportunities for pupils to learn more about the artists and their creative processes, challenge themselves to observe, question and respond in new ways, and empower themselves as young artists and writers with ideas of their own.

After a picnic lunch and a well-earned run along the sand, everyone returned to the coach with sketchbooks full of ideas, sandy shoes and plenty of stories to tell. The children’s enthusiasm, curiosity and impeccable behaviour drew praise from staff and members of the public alike, a wonderful reflection of the confidence and character of our Year 6 pupils.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the day possible, especially Miss Ashdown and our wonderful Year 6 pupils for embracing every opportunity to explore, create and learn. Days like this capture the Truro School difference, which creates experiences that inspire our pupils, challenge their thinking and empower them to see what they can achieve.