RAPS IN THE NEWS

Creating a mini Stonehenge from biscuits is a tasty way to build an ancient monument and discover more about its construction.

That’s what young ‘builders’ at Ramsgate Arts primary did as they investigated the world-famous standing stones and the meaning behind their layout and positioning on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.

It was all part of the Year 3 group’s start to the topic From Stone to Iron that delves deep into the prehistoric times during the transition of civilisation from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.

To get into the mood of the period girls and boys came to school dressed as cave dwellers in a fun day of learning activities.

Teachers Alice Rees-Boughton and Kiki Amin explained: “Our pupils will be delving deep into history to develop a chronological understanding of how life changed between the two periods, and they will be encouraged to compare life through the ages to how it is today.

“Creating Stonehenge was fabulous inter-active start and our children were really engaged with the whole process of what the henge looked like and how it was laid out, particularly when they were cementing the biscuit building blocks into place using icing.

“They also learnt all about flint-knapping and how Stone Age people used this process to sharpen flint and create their weapons.

“To really understand how the process worked (and how hard it would have been), they tried their hand at napping using soap bars – it was tricky but great fun and they all went home with their soap flints.

“They also created cave paintings and found out more about the Stone Age tools with visitor Katie Blythe, a parent skilled in bush craft.”

Stonehenge Facts – it is perhaps the world's most famous prehistoric monument. It was built in several stages: the first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period about 2500 BC.

It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones.

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School and Chilton Primary School.

*For more information, contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847

Ramsgate Arts Primary teachers Karen Vorst and Peter Campbell Saunders are inspiring their pupils who saw their works exhibited at Turner Contemporary in Margate.

The creative youngsters were impressed when they saw the exhibits on show as part of the gallery’s open exhibition to mark its tenth anniversary.

Head of School Nick Budge said: “Our girls and boys love visiting the gallery that we have an enduring and strong educational partnership with through a number of projects.

“They enjoyed looking round the brilliant open exhibition and were thrilled to see works by Karen and Peter in show alongside a host of well-known, respected and ambitious artists from the Kent and Medway area.

“We try to integrate our arts curriculum with the community wherever possible and this visit to Turner has yet again inspired our young artists to aspire to have their own work displayed in a public exhibition, which is a really positive goal.”

Karen explained: “My exhibits are examples of the portraiture of mugshots, and the intimacy, vulnerability yet pride that these images evoke. I use lightboxes and acrylic prints to display my work.”

Peter Campbell Saunders, who is a part-time teacher at RAPS, had his work The Curator selected for show. An acrylic oil on canvas, it shares a wall with Margate’s world-renowned artist Tracey Emin at the gallery.

He said: “The painting was created during the first months of the lockdown in March/April 2020. The image depicts a young woman placing books upon a series of shelves containing a number of eclectic antique collectibles. I believe it was my attempt at taking control and adding some kind of order to my life, during a time when I felt vulnerable and out of control.

“After a further viewing of the artworks in the Turner, I've realised that my picture seems to be 'out of time'. Bygone eras are a typical theme in my art.

“It's a great honour for a traditional artist like me to be shown at such a prestigious contemporary gallery.”

He also has a studio/gallery space n at the Quex craft village at Quex Park, Birchington, where he runs art and photography workshops.

*The Turner Contemporary Open: It showcases the wealth of artistic talent in Kent and Medway. It includes works by professional and non-professional artists living and working in the area and those working nationally and internationally who studied there.

The exhibition in the first floor galleries includes around 450 works, selected from over 4,200 anonymised submissions received from nearly 1,400 artists.

Artworks span sculpture, painting, ceramics, film and photography, including work by internationally renowned artists such as Tracey Emin, Rose Wylie and Margo Selby, alongside up-and-coming artists such as Matilda Sutton, Joshua Atkins and Lisa Wright.

The works were selected by four Thanet-based community groups and collectives: Age UK Thanet, Canvas 4 Equality, Margate Pride and the Turner Contemporary Access Group. These groups volunteered their time as curators with the support of Turner Contemporary. Each group has taken over a gallery space, in which they have curated their selection of artworks.

The exhibition runs until Sunday 20 February 2022.

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School and Chilton Primary School.

*For more information, contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847