I have been writing stories based on two owl puppets for years. Watty and Hatty are regulars at assembly, circle time, conflict resolution talks, Damp;T projects and, this spring term, were the focus of a whole-school project on writing and art.
The school’s art advanced skills teacher, Caroline Corker, co-ordinates art themes each term and suggested Watty and Hatty for the project. I wrote a story and read it to each year group. Each class selected a previous Watty story to illustrate. Then using the work of, among others, Mick Inkpen and Andy Warhol, artwork was produced using a variety of materials including ink, paint and collage in a range of sizes, all bright and vibrant. Caroline helped the art club and classes with a variety of 3D work using salt dough, clay, wire and collage.
Each class produced different genres of written work, including storyboards, poems, mind-maps, persuasive writing, narrative, non-fiction and multi-media presentations co-ordinated by Lynne Hand, our ICT co-ordinator. Many of the children volunteered to write extra stories and poems, and entered an art competition based on the shared story.
At the end of the term all the work was displayed and parents were invited for a curriculum evening.
Malcolm Rivers
Headteacher, Hampton Junior School, Richmond
