School art attracts national attention

The Create 2011 exhibition, which showcased work by pupils and local artists, has attracted attention from the National Society For Education, Art and Design.

The exhibition at Mirfield’s West Yorkshire Print Workshop was a celebration of the after-school project Adopt An Artist, which pairs up local artists with schools in Mirfield, Roberttown, Kirkheaton and Huddersfield.

Project co-ordinator Natalie Deane said: “It’s a scheme that’s been running for the last three years and the quality of the exhibits is getting better and better.

“It’s a really exciting scheme to be involved in and its reputation has become a national one.

“The show itself attracts a broad audience for the print workshop and I think the artists really value the opportunity to show their work alongside the pupils. It has much broader benefits than being just a schools project.”

Ms Deane said the response to this year’s exhibition had been amazing.

“The National Society For Education, Art and Design has asked me to put together an article about the show for other schools across the country,” she said.

“Another outcome is that Ofsted is coming to Battyeford school to do a special inspection for art and design to learn about best practice.”

The schools featured in this year’s exhibition were Roberttown Junior and Infants, Kirkheaton Primary, Battyeford Primary and Crossley Fields Junior and Infants in Mirfield, and Rowley Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery in Huddersfield.