PARKLIFE Spring 2023 _From Brushstroke to Pixel

PARKLIFE Spring. From brushstroke to pixel
The Year Six body of work explores
the role of the object within the
domestic space – particularly our
relationship with the environments we
inhabit – revealing personal attitudes
and behaviours. The creative process
began with a set of objects of distinct
provenance: a charity shop on Kings
Street and IKEA.
Matthew Haywood’s work documents
the objects’ presence as a floating
entity, transient but genuine. Amongst
the fresh, green, plastic IKEA plants
one could spot an old, battered
lampshade shining a warm light
over the apple sauce pot. It is in this
contrasting light that the artworks
began to shape their function. Many
artworks are personal, letting us
to enter a space of adoration and
comfort.
Cezanne
and beyond

Cecily Hignett’s work reveals the careful placement of objects that live in harmony both
in colour and meaning. This is a recurrent theme that can be spotted in many paintings
such as Matilda Harley’s or Clara Thorneycroft’s. Some of the compositions are dominated
by digital devices, becoming symbols of contemporality. Their function lives in the social
sphere. Many, namely Matvei Kovalenko’s painting, add to current debates on technology.
Eliza Dunbar’s work is a gentle reminder of how, historically, objects have helped us
stay connected and continue to do so in the digital age. Our relationship with objects is
questioned further in artworks like Freddie Ward’s and Violeta Dima’s that have an afterdinner
mood and build on the legacy of avant-garde artists such as Daniel Spoerri.
The diverse range of responses are surprising when looking at the Year Six body of
work in relation to Cezanne at Tate Modern. The artist’s still lifes defeat gravity and linear
perspective rules, presenting us with permutations of the same objects, some becoming
visual motifs. Paul Cezanne has given ‘licence to generations of artists to break the rule
book’ and produce work that is relevant and personal. Year Six have stretched the limits of
the well-known subject matter, still life, and have fully explored the role of the object in the
artist realm. Their work truly touches on the complex relationships we develop with objects.
Fragments
Acrylic, spray paint and broken plates on canvas
In my painting I wanted to show that memories can
be forgotten and how they can be brought back
together. Like I show in this painting, memories are
represented as a plate which I smashed and glued
them back together. This work is personal to me,
this is because I have a cousin that I have barely
met because of Covid and I finally was able to meet
him just recently.
When dark comes to light
Plasticine, stop motion animation
I created a stop motion animation by creating
objects in plasticine (which is like clay but less
sticky). It was almost like painting with a brush
but my fingerprint was the brush because I
applied every stroke. I took a picture each
time. I am proud of my artwork because it took
lots of patience which sometimes I don’t have.

Eliza Dunbar, Year 6
Objects of connection
Nails, string, MDF board, spray paint
Objects of connection is based on
connecting nail to nail, person to person,
device to device. Objects are placed
in certain positions to replicate part
of someone’s home. This consists of
a picture frame for memory, a lamp
for hope, a bottle for insanity and a
jug for nourishment. This is objects of
connection, connecting those nails of
different characteristics together.
Head’s Message
Creativity is something that we have always valued highly at RPPS and, this term, we have been exploring how the use of technology
in the classroom can provide creative opportunities for children’s learning. The versatility of the iPad has enabled pupils to connect
video, audio and images to produce, for example, presentations about their sWcience investigations, interviews with historical
characters and tutorials on how to approach a new concept in mathematics. Our Music and Art Departments have collaborated on a
project where the children in Year Five produced landscapes in Art and in parallel, composed accompanying soundscapes on Garage
Band in Music.
Over the course of the term, our Year Six children have been producing pieces of artwork for the joint GSG Art Exhibition at Maida
Vale, inspired by their visit to Cezanne at Tate Modern. A preview of the work in progress was on show at our Open House event
in early March and it was extremely impressive to see the high quality of the pieces on display. Many of the visiting parents (and
teachers) commented that they would be very happy to have this work on their own walls at home!
Carl Howes

What is your personal best?
Swimming
A number of the Squad swimmers
took part in the heats of the national
IAPS Championships and they all
competed well both in the Individual
and Relay events. There were
personal bests (Pbs) in the races
for Arabella, Talia, Eliot, Solly and
Elspeth - Eliot improving his time
by over 5 secs. Lottie also swam a
good time and we must now wait
until the full results are published
from all the other heats around
the country to find out if any of the
team qualified for the Finals as one
of the top 20 in their event.
U10 Hockey Tournament
Hockey
Eight U10 hockey players took part in the Notting
Hill and Orchard House Hockey Tournament.
We were put into a challenging box, playing four
matches developing our spatial awareness, speed
on the ball and power of passes. Each game the
team became stronger and finished 2nd in our box,
placing us in the third and fourth playoff against
Kew College. Within two minutes RPPS scored a
goal giving us the confidence to strive for third, a
following second and third goal passed
through Kew College. RPPS finished third in the
tournament which was a great achievement.
A successful term of rugby
Rugby
We have had a successful term of rugby with our fixture
programme returning to a healthier level, something we
hope to maintain! The children have shown great
resilience in coping with Arctic weather conditions and
battling through monsoon rain. It is lovely to see a large
number of girls choosing to develop their rugby skills this
year, particularly in Year Four. Our stand-out performers
across the term, for showing great progress and
motivation have been: Casper G and Harriet I in Year
Four, Hugh H and Solly W in Year Five, and Arthur B and
Milo A in Year Six.
Reflecting on the IAPS National Finals
Netball
We arrived at Rugby school wearing our nationals’ hoodies, the
sun was shining, and the music was blasting out. In the group
stages we won two matches including beating St Cat’s who
won our box and came 4th in the country. We lost two games
by one goal and one by two goals earning a space in the plate
quarter-finals, where we lost to Solihull Prep by one goal. On
another day, the one goal differences could have gone our way,
the finest of margins separating RPPS and the other teams.
Well done to: Willow B, Cecily H, Lara B, Natalia H, Skyla F,
Lola B, Eleanor C-B and Lottie W for all your efforts and good
luck all your future netball. For those aspiring to represent RPPS
at the highest level, it often comes down to that one shot going
in, that well timed interception or that excellent pass into space.
Practising individual skills really does make a difference.

What is your favourite book character?
World Book Day
On a sparklingly sunny day, excitement spread
throughout RPPS as pupils and staff arrived in their
fabulous book character costumes, ready to celebrate
reading! The Upper School were the first to be ushered
to the hall, where author/illustrator Louie Stowell spoke
about her best-selling Loki series, and she had the
children drawing their own characters en masse. Author/
Illustrator Ken Wilson-Max shared two of his books,
Astro Girl and Eco Girl with the Lower School and, taking
suggestions from the children, he demonstrated his
drawing skills by creating new hybrid animals.

What would you like to write about?
Theme Week
This year, Book Week was delivered on the
theme of Inspired Authors, where children were
immersed in the concepts of story creation. The
week involved a range of exciting events: the
children had talks and workshops led by some
of the very best children’s authors around
(including Ross Welford, AF Steadman and
Claire Luther); they participated in storytelling
sessions and drama workshops; and they had
the opportunity to write and produce their very
own books based on one of our school values.
Some examples of book themes produced
included bravery, love, and kindness. Children
in Year Five and Six used the app Book Creator
to produce their books which enabled them to
consider layout and structure more prominently -
another critical authorial skill.
Overall, it was a hugely successful week: there
was a clear buzz around the school, as everyone
enjoyed taking on the role of an author. This was
particularly evident during our whole school work
sharing event on the final day, when the children
proudly shared their creations with children
across the school from Reception to Year Six.
Drama workshops

emotions
Not sure how you feel?
Art and Design
We think you might need this book in one of those
moments when you are not entirely sure how you feel. Pick
a word, pick a symbol—pick your emotions! If still unsure,
pick a pen and draw it all out.
Ossian, Year Two
Work share

What are the outcomes of our Digital Strategy?
Digital Skills
We are moving into the third phase of our Digital Strategy which has seen
opportunities for us to collaborate and take our learning to new places.
We have looked at developing our skills across the curriculum, looking at
opportunities to record learning and innovate in a way that we have not
been able to do before.
In Year Six, we have been looking at ways in which we can create links
in our learning; whether it be connecting ideas for debate or creating
associations through English texts, Padlet has been incredibly powerful.
In Science, we have used Seesaw to display evidence to support and
refute ideas, as well as record our scientific processes in a way that
allows us to refer back to engage further in our methods. The iPads
continue to support us across the school with our number bonds as well
as providing a powerful tool for bringing books to live with Book Creator.
Science
We look forward to embracing new learning opportunities as our iPads
continue to roll out across the school.
Thea
History
Although many wars are to
stop something or prevent
it from happening the fact
that many people die during
this seems wrong. Could
there not be a less violent
approach to a problem a
more creative solution like a
compromise or a meeting to
discuss the ups and downs
of this problem and decide
what is the best way to go
about it.
Science
Maths
Geography
LI: To create a Mediterranean
weather report using iMovie
and our prior knowledge of
factors that impact the weather
Jacob and Alice, Year Four
Music, Art and Design
English

The X-Factory
Drama
The Year Four children have been working
exceptionally hard this term in preparation
for their production of, ‘The X-Factory’.
The show told the story of a school that
had to prove they had super-star talent in
order to stay open and not get shut down,
the children and staff of the school learned
that everyone is extraordinary, no matter
how big or small the part they play. They
displayed exceptional commitment and
dedication toward rehearsing their part and
learning their lines. We were blown away
by their confidence and their teamwork
in order to pull off such a wonderfully
successful show.

From the white Austrian landscape...
Trips
From the moment we arrived, there were fantastic surprises that kept us busy throughout the
week. We were introduced to the dorm inspection challenge, a tough competition judged by
tidiness and on some nights, on special topics like modern art or musical theatre. Over the
day, we had 2, 2 hour ski lessons, with our groups, and no matter your standard, we all made
enormous progress. By the end of the week, everyone had skied a red in a snow blizzard,
even the beginners! After skiing, we had some free time in which we could free ski, which
meant we could ski with friends (don’t worry, it was supervised), or we could also play in the
snow and participate in activities like a snowman competition or penguin slides! After this, we
had dinner and then there were evening activities. From the terrifying/terrific tubing (sledding),
the fantastic disco, the mind blowing talent show with some great impressions, to the Winter
Olympics and the night walk featuring the half bear half monster ‘Jagerhoffer’- there was
always something to do.
Matilda

What are you most proud of?
Open House Event
This term, we opened
our doors to share in the
learning that has gone
on so far this year. Our
classrooms were filled with
a buzz of activity and our
specialist areas showcased
all that has been going
on across the curriculum.
It was wonderful to see
the children simmering
with pride as they talked
through their hard work
with their families. We look
forward to welcoming you
back in the Summer Term.
...to the joys of a green London in the Spring
Trips
The Year Six activity week was full of adventure
and excitement. The children completed a wide
range of tasks that included a Demon Headmaster
Escape Room created by Mr Howes; a survival
day where the children built shelters, learned
to filter water and even made and cooked their
own bread; a day of exploration at Kew Gardens;
climbing at RavensWall, and the opportunity to
write their ‘Choose Your Own’ adventure stories.
It was a great opportunity to work together in
different ways and extremely good fun.
Photograph by Arush Pai

Issue 185 | Spring Term | 2023 | The Newsletter of Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School
PARKLIFE reflects our school’s ethos. Therefore, it is a collaborative project in its entirety. We would like to say thank you to
all our teaching and non-teaching staff for the effort that they put in to write, edit, and deliver this project on time.
KEW GREEN
Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School
16 Ravenscourt Avenue
London
W6 0SL
W: www.rpps.co.uk E: office@rpps.co.uk T: 020 8846 9153
@RPPSlondon