Two PTAs make history come to life at school
‘The mural is a focal point for the whole school’
From 4,000,000BC to AD2023, our timeline mural at St Margaret’s Academy shows significant events and locations from local, national and international history. It provides a visual way for the children to understand the context of what they are learning and brings their lessons to life.
Our headteacher Tim Hughes was enthusiastic from the start. We worked with him to create a list of core historical topics included in the curriculum right across the school. We were keen to include dinosaurs, knowing the younger children would love them (and they certainly do!) but we also wanted to highlight local history, so we incorporated Torquay-born writer Agatha Christie and the medieval monastery Torre Abbey. We added a few other elements, such as the internet, the first smartphone and the King’s coronation, to help the children relate these topics to the modern world.
In 2023, we raised over £20,000, for a new library at the school. We were awarded £10,000 in grants, of which the Morrisons Foundation gave us £9,000. The remaining funds were provided by Magic Little Grants, the local authority and an anonymous donor. Since then, we had continued to generate funds through events such as our summer disco and summer fair, and everyone agreed it would be fantastic to spend some of it on the mural. We commissioned artist Neil Wilkinson-Cave from Sacredart Murals to create the image. One of the PTA had discovered Neil’s Facebook page some 12 months previously, and we were blown away by his work. Neil is an incredible artist and a pleasure to work with. We gave him a list of all the elements we hoped to include and he made some preliminary sketches before coming in over the summer holidays to get started. His vision was better than we could ever have imagined, and we are already brainstorming ideas for our next project with him!
The children love the finished mural, which serves as a focal point for the entire school. As pupils progress through the school, they will be able to see how everything they’ve learned in previous years fits together. It enhances the children’s learning experience, provides a way for staff to integrate their teaching and creates a ‘wow’ factor for prospective parents visiting the school. We were even interviewed by the BBC. The PTA considers it money well spent; it ticks all the boxes.
- Felicity Morris, secretary, St Margaret’s Academy PTA, Torquay (400 pupils)
‘Our history and geography walls are a talking point’
We designed our history timeline to showcase every history topic we cover for pupils from Reception through Year 6. It also features a world map and highlights famous historical figures, such as Christopher Columbus, Vincent van Gogh and Rosa Parks. A separate timeline outlines important events in the UK during the 20th century.
Like many small children, pupils at Bomere Heath CE Primary School don’t have a clear understanding of where they are in the world, so we also created a geography display that pinpoints the exact location of Bomere. It shows a map of Shropshire, depicting the school’s location near the hills our classes are named after. It also features local historic sites, such as Oswestry Hill Fort, Whittington Castle and Shrewsbury. This local map sits alongside a map of the UK, a world map that illustrates the continents, the equator and a compass, and a globe. All of these elements connect with our geography curriculum.
The timeline starts with pre-history, moving to 3,000BC to show the Indus Valley and ancient Sumerians. It helps the children visualise history, seeing key moments and how they overlap. For example, a lot of pupils didn’t realise the Roman empire existed at the same time as ancient Egypt. Having these visual aids deepens their understanding. The timeline also includes notable scientists and inventors, extending into the third millennium.
A project like this is not cheap, so we worked with the Friends of Bomere Heath and the parish council. Over a period of about two years, the Friends organised various events and initiatives. The summer fair and Christmas fair were particularly successful. We also held dress-up days and themed events, such as colour days. Individuals gave donations, too.
The displays cost just over £2,000, with the parish council and the Friends each paying half. We took our time making sure we found the right company to work with, ultimately choosing Creativo, which specialises in wall panels for schools. They were brilliant; whenever we changed our minds, they promptly sent over new proofs.
The timeline is located in the main school corridor, while the geography map is just around the corner. The children see them every day when they leave their classes, pass by or wait in a queue. I often hear fragments of the fascinating conversations they spark. The displays are made from a robust protective material, so they can cope with all the jabbing and pointing from excited children’s fingers!
- Sallie Roberts, head of school, Bomere Heath CE Primary School, Shrewsbury (130 pupils)
‘I see my role as finding a visual way to engage the children’
Artist Neil Wilkinson-Cave explains how school mural commissions work
I painted my first school mural some15 years ago at Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School in Somerset. It showed a dreamlike and sunlit woodland with a young girl climbing up a stairway made of books, towards the light. Next to her was the phrase: ‘You never know where a book may lead’.
‘I’ve always been an arty type, and when I was young, people kept telling me I should get a creative job. I went travelling and had this idea about making murals; since then, I’ve painted over 200 of them. Most of my work is in the UK, but I also have pieces in holiday homes in Florida, public projects in China and even a mansion in Switzerland.
When schools first contact me about a project, they often already have a seed of an idea that I can develop into a suitable design for the allocated space. It’s helpful if they can include photographs of the wall or walls where the mural is to be painted and indicate when they’d like the work done. It’s also useful to know if there is a budget for the project. I offer a generous discount to schools because learning is such an important part of life. If the school doesn’t yet know what the budget will be, I can provide a ballpark quote. PTAs often raise a significant portion of the funds for a mural through events, donations from businesses and small grants.
All my murals are hand-painted. If the school uses the proposed space during the school day, they will need to cordon off the area. Alternatively, I can schedule the work for the school holidays, and I sometimes work at the weekend. If I can park my campervan on site, it can save having to find overnight accommodation and helps cut costs. The duration for painting a mural varies; some take a week, and my longest project took five weeks.
At the moment, I am working with Barton Hill Academy on a mural that highlights successful local individuals. The goal is to provide pupils with role models they can aspire to. Many children are feeling disillusioned right now, and this mural aims to show dreams they can work towards. I see my role as finding a visual way to engage the children, making the subject real and accessible for them.
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