Hands On Art at RAPS

The idea grew from their work with artist Flora Parrott for a project that involved all 420 children at the school.

The creative spark came when a selection of Year 6 began children exploring the work of artists Fiona Banner and Paul Klee, whose famous quote “drawing is like taking a line for a walk” became the central theme.

Building on this idea, the children collaborated with Flora through a series of creative workshops, developing an ambitious project that combined drawing, sculpture, and installation.

As the project evolved, it was extended to include every child in the school, ensuring that each of the 420 pupils could leave their own unique mark.

Each child decorated a personalised book, placing their hands on the cover and filling it with imagery and symbols that reflect their own inspirations and identities.

Next, they brought the project to life in a spectacular way. Using over 40 meters of rope and constructing Banner-inspired sculptures — including large-scale punctuation marks such as exclamation points — each class worked together to create their own sculptural scene.

 

 

 

These installations were then photographed and filmed by drone, producing a striking and memorable visual record of the children’s work.

Art teacher Kelly Smith explained: “This is one of the biggest art projects the school has ever undertaken. Creating something that involved all 420 children was a challenge, but an incredibly rewarding one.

“The children loved being captured by the drone, and it illustrates how the boundaries between art, photography, and sculpture can be pushed. Flora was incredible to work with — she made the whole experience feel natural and exciting for the children.

“A heartfelt thank you goes to Flora for her vision, energy, and expertise, and to Eddie, one of our wonderful parents, for capturing the project so beautifully with drone photography. “

Looking ahead, RAPS has announced that in September, the school’s front stairwell will be transformed into a permanent exhibition space.

This installation will showcase photographs of the children’s personalised books, sculptures, and the aerial imagery from the project — leaving a creative legacy from this year’s Year 6 cohort who are soon to depart on their journey into secondary education.

Head of School Nick Budge said: “Since day one we have always aimed to make the creative arts central to our ethos.

“Our team continues to encourage our children with ideas that dare to be different, that push the boundaries and that open up new perspectives. This latest project and our forthcoming initiative for September does just that.”

 

Ramsgate Arts Primary is part of the Viking Academy Trust with its partner schools Chilton Primary in Ramsgate and Upton Juniors in Broadstairs.

**Contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847