Monthly news - community challenge

Wilf Rees just loves the summer term. As soon as exams are out of the way, the Head of Art and Design at King Edward VI in Morpeth dives headlong into his favourite part of the curriculum – the community challenge.

"It's something we originally thought up a few years ago as a way of filling the space until the end of term for our AS graphics group after they'd handed in all their coursework," he laughs. "But the students get so much out of it, developing their leadership skills and their ability to utilise their artistic talents, it has become an important part of their course – something everyone looks forward to."

Students take total ownership of the whole process, creating something that can be used by members of the local community. They plan and cost out their idea – sometimes they even have to raise money to buy materials. "The whole design and creative process is also student led," adds Wilf.

Not long ago, 35 King Edward students totally transformed the playground at nearby East Hartford Primary School for pupils with special educational needs into a railway station. "The aim was to provide an interactive resource through which East Hartford teachers could organise guided learning," Wilf Rees explains. So fruit and newspaper stalls were painted on walls to help children develop core vocabulary, as was a barber shop and a London taxi cab. "It was great seeing the looks on children's faces as they ran out and saw what we had done, for the first time," says one King Edward artist.

Other sixth form groups have created a herb and sensory garden and painted a 25-metre dinosaur mural for local primary schools, while last year, students transformed a patch of grass at the school into a social area with paths, seats, picnic tables and bird feeders.

"It's growing in popularity. Already this year 140 students have signed up to take part in the challenge," says a delighted Wilf.