School Partnership provides festive cheer for student neighbours

Year 5 pupils from Roxeth Primary School and Sixth Form students from John Lyon get together every Friday afternoon to work on a range of creative projects.

One recent theme was Christmas and the result is a set of two Christmas cards, which both schools will use this year.

With many artworks to choose from, all showing John Lyon’s original 1876 school building, Head of Art Ms Lorna Hope selected the pictures by Harjot and Jyotsna.

More than 1,000 cards have now been printed and will be sent by the Heads and other staff from Roxeth and John Lyon, schools which are just a few hundred metres from each other in Harrow-on-the-Hill.

Roxeth and John Lyon have had a strong link for a number of years, with the art partnership running since 2017. Mrs Lynne Plummer, Head of Blackwell Enterprise which oversees all of John Lyon’s partnership and community work, said: “Over time this art partnership has proven really beneficial for both sets of pupils. With the sessions designed and led by the older students, giving them the chance to develop team building and leadership skills, their young partners see and experience a variety of exciting media, styles and techniques, which help them to develop their artistic skills and creativity.

“With university on the horizon for our boys and secondary school just around the corner for the Roxeth children, they are all gaining skills which will help them as they move up in their education.”

And the pupils agree.

John Lyon student Maazin Fazil said: “This has been one of my favourite experience in the John Lyon Sixth Form. In Lower Sixth, I was placed as the mentor for a group of three children, supervising them as well as teaching them new tricks and giving them tips to encourage their creativity. Now I am in the Upper Sixth I have been given the opportunity to run the programme, planning the sessions as well as executing them. This initiative has opened many doors for me and developed me as a person, both at school and at home. The weekly lessons of fun and creativity mean I have had to keep a strong mindset and be very organised as well as meet my targets.”

Year 5 Aleena said: “At John Lyon Art Club I learnt how to make a butterfly using a piece of paper. We also made Christmas cards for a competition. We’ve also learnt how to draw blindfolded, upside down and in a never ending line! I really like John Lyon Art Club!”

Year 5 Om said: “Since I‘ve been going to John Lyon I have been having lots of fun. I have learnt a lot of new art techniques because of all the mentors. I have really got better at art because of John Lyon.”