Lambourn CofE Primary School was buzzing with creativity as it welcomed the renowned children’s illustrator, kOrky Paul! Brought up scribbling in Zimbabwe before studying Fine Art in South Africa and film animation in California, kOrky is best known for his vibrant and imaginative illustrations in Winnie the Witch and Dinosaur Poems. He has also illustrated several other books for Oxford University Press, Penguin Books, and Random House, including anthologies of poems edited by John Foster and Michael Rosen. Available in 44 languages, kOrky has sold more than 10 million copies and won several awards.

Armed with this rich history and experience, kOrky delighted the Lambourn students by leading interactive workshops. During each session, kOrky read his latest book ‘One Snowy Christmas Eve’, co-written with Marc Bratcher, captivating the children with his lively storytelling.

Inspired by the festive season, the workshops focused on creating illustrations of none other than Father Christmas himself! Lambourn embraced the challenge, producing wonderful and imaginative drawings that showcased their unique creativity. kOrky was amazed by the talent and enthusiasm of our pupils and shared invaluable tips to help them bring their illustrations to life.

It was an unforgettable day filled with inspiration, and a whole lot of drawing!

Bespoke wall maps feature the local area, UK and World

On another creative note, Lambourn is delighted to have secured funding from The Church of England School House Trust – a local charity which supports the enhancement of the education of children in the parish of Lambourn – to install three large bespoke wall art maps, featuring the local area of Lambourn, the UK, and the world. These maps will serve as educational tools and engaging visual aids, enhancing the learning environment, and providing a rich resource for pupils, teachers, and the local community.

Current and future pupils of the school will all benefit from this project. As the National Curriculum states, ‘A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Teaching should equip pupils with knowledge about diverse places, people, resources and natural and human environments, together with a deep understanding of the Earth’s key physical and human processes’.

All children in the school study location and mapwork, starting with the youngest in EYFS whom look at their local area, the school and home, to Year 6 who look in depth at Brazil, and how the geography of the local area impacts human and physical processes. The installation of these large maps allows for better provision and interactive experiences which in turn will enhance the high-quality education.

The maps will provide interactive and engaging ways to learn about geography, history, and cultural studies, making abstract concepts more tangible and understandable. Many young students are visual learners, so large, colourful maps can help them better grasp geographical locations, distances, and relationships between places. They will also inspire curiosity and encourage students to explore and ask questions about the world around them. plus will be beneficial to students with special educational needs.

Teachers can use the maps as teaching aids during lessons, and can be integrated into various subjects, including geography, history, art, and PHSE. They can also be used for a variety of classroom activities, such as map-reading exercises, storytelling, and understanding the local community in which they live.

It is hoped the visual aids will be a focal point during school events, parent-teacher meetings, and open days, fostering a sense of community and shared educational goals, and encouraging engagement and a curiosity about the local area.

Not surprisingly, the children have responded enthusiastically to the installation of the maps and have been heard and seen actively searching for local landmarks and places they are studying whilst eating their lunch in the adjacent dinner hall, thus leading to lots of geographical discussion.