Year 7 Students Become Art Historians in the City of London
On Monday 13 July, a group of Year 7 students visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the City of London for a day of art history, exploration and creativity.
The church has been a place of worship for nearly 900 years, and students were given the opportunity to explore the historic space, discovering memorials, symbols and architectural features that tell the story of its long history. Many were particularly excited to access areas of the church that are not usually open to visitors.
The highlight of the day was an Art History workshop. After learning some key principles of art history, students became detectives, using magnifying glasses to closely examine two paintings by Raphael: The Marriage of the Virgin and Madonna della Seggiola. Through careful observation, they identified details and symbols that revealed deeper meanings within the artwork, discussing how artists communicate ideas to their audiences.
Students then applied these same skills to the church's beautiful stained-glass windows, exploring how colour, imagery and symbolism can be used to tell stories and express beliefs.
After a picnic lunch in the church gardens, students took part in a creative workshop where they designed their own stained-glass windows. Their designs incorporated symbols, words and images that reflected their values, interests and hopes for the future.
One student, Lujain, based her design on the idea that although people may seem different, we are all connected and have more in common than we realise. She particularly enjoyed exploring the church and having the opportunity to create something that could contribute to the space and wider community.
The trip provided a wonderful opportunity for students to develop their skills as art historians, learning how artists use symbols, imagery and visual storytelling to communicate ideas. It also gave students the chance to express their own values and aspirations through creative design. As always, our students represented Harris Academy Bermondsey brilliantly with their curiosity, enthusiasm and thoughtful contributions throughout the day.
