We also participate in annual community art projects such as Didsbury Festival and The Didsbury Parsonage Trust’s local art exhibition. Each year, Didsbury Festival set a theme and each participating school create banners, bunting, props or clothing to match this theme. Children are invited to create all elements for the procession during lunchtime art clubs.
The Didsbury Parsonage Trust invite local schools, Didsbury CE being one of these schools, to exhibit artwork in the parsonage building. Different year groups are selected for this each time. The children’s paintings, sketches or collages are mounted, framed and hung on the walls of the parsonage and 3D art, textiles or sculptures are displayed in cabinets. The exhibition is a popular event where families and the wider community come to celebrate the artistic achievements of the children in the local area. It is also in invaluable experience for the children involved as it confirms that they are artists.
We also hold an annual Didsbury CE Art Show were the children showcase the artwork produced in a specific term. This event is open to parents and family members to view.
A broad and balanced curriculum
Often, art and design links either to a design technology, history, science or geography unit. This provides an opportunity for the children to explore and develop ideas from first hand observations, learn of significant artists, designers or sculptors in history both from Britain and the wider world. For example, in Year 3 during their science unit on the human body topic, they create wire people sculptures in the style of Alberto Giacometti. Year 5 studies early Islamic civilisations alongside creating Islamic clay tiles and in Year 1, children make flames liked to The Great Fire of London.
