Workshops

In this workshop, children from all year groups were introduced to the rich traditions of African art, where masks often represent the faces of spirits and gods. The workshop provided an excellent way for students to explore their creativity whilst immersed in cultural education.

Children unleashed their artists within by decorating their own unique African masks with intricate geometric designs. The masks provided were made from sustainable Albesia wood, cultivated in community smallholdings adding a nice eco-friendly touch to this artistic adventure and reinforcing the aim of children become active learners as part of both their local and wider environment.

Workshops from A-Life were delivered to all children throughout one day during PE Week.  Children explored health and wellbeing through 20-25 hands-on interactive activities which were set up around the hall. Each activity station had its own topic, equipment to explore, an information board and an activity card. The activities included amongst many others:

• Delving into the human body (quite literally!) using a T Shirt with AR technology – mind blowing! 
• Exploring different emotions and to understand the 5 ways to positive mental health & well-being
• Piecing together the human body, exploring the function of each organs and bones
• Exploring how much sugar is in different foods and drinks
• Checking out  tooth brushing techniques 

These workshops were part of a wider PE week at Maple Walk! The week was a celebration of teamwork, achievement and fun for everyone and started with fantastic news as Maple Walk received the ISA Award for Outstanding Sport (small school)! All the Maple Walk pupils, staff and families played a part in earning this recognition. 

 “Maple Walk’s creative use of facilities in the local community is exemplified in its sports programme.….inclusive sports are now played across the borough at inter-school events, showing that a little ingenuity, a lot of hard work and an ethos of innovation and inclusivity truly provides ‘Sport for All’.”  

In the ‘Mindful Art for Calm’ workshop delivered by SCP, the Year 6 students were helped to find calm and focus through simple art and breathing exercises. The students experimented with doodling, colour, and personal “calm symbols” to manage feelings of stress. The goal was to provide enjoyable tools to help the children to feel more balanced and confident, especially during exam time.

Key Areas:

• Breathing & Grounding: gentle breathing exercises to help students settle into the moment.
• Playful, Pressure-Free Drawing: pupils were encouraged to doodle freely, without worrying about how it looked, so they could simply enjoy the creative process.
• Breath-Coloured Art: pupils were guided to link their breath with colour, drawing as they inhaled and exhaled, helping them find a soothing rhythm that connected creativity with relaxation.
• Calm Symbols: pupils were invited to create a personal “calm symbol”—something that visually represented peace for them. This symbol can be recalled whenever they need a sense of ease.

This workshop definitely helped our Year 6 pupils keep smiling through exam week!