Redstart pupils enjoy the arts (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Redstart pupils enjoy the arts

4:46pm Thursday 14th February 2008 in Chard By Kirsty Maclagan

LUCKY youngsters at Redstart Primary School, Chard, had front row seats for a production of Peter Pan last week.

Travelling theatre company M and M Productions were invited to the school on Thursday to give children a chance to experience their first professional stage performance.

Pupils have been engaging a variety of creative activities throughout the week as part of The National Gallery's Take One Picture project.

Under the scheme, schools are given a print of a classic painting and asked to plan the curriculum around it, using the image as a stimulus for artwork and in more unexpected areas.

With Turner's famous painting The Fighting Temeraire as a basis, the children have been having a go at making their own movies, creating their own sound bites and holding a dance workshop.

Head teacher Susan Flack said: "Teachers and pupils have been working together to come up with imaginative ways we could interpret the painting in the classroom.

"The children have enjoyed giving their input throughout the week and have been really looking forward to today's performance."