Whole school art project viewed by MP and mayor

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley and Worthing mayor Sean McDonald with pupils by Shimmering Sea, one of the five murals

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Every single child at West Park Primary was involved in creating five new murals for the school.

That means 766 children, aged four to 11, can feel rightly proud of their marvellous creations, now on display around the school, in Marlborough Road, Worthing.

The murals are linked with the common theme of the beach, as it is developing into a Beach School, and elements of the designs have been picked out in 18 stained-glass windows for the dining hall.

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley and Worthing mayor Sean McDonald visited the school today to see the results of the Art at the Park project.

With the seagull mural, from left, deputy head Malcolm Howie, head teacher Caitriona Bull, Creative Waves director Vanessa Breen, Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley, Creative Waves director Nadia Chalk and Worthing mayor Sean McDonald

Malcolm Howie, deputy head, said: “West Park Primary School is a very successful four form entry primary school which is developing into a Beach School, which means we base an increasing amount of the curriculum around the nearby resource of Worthing beach.

“As part of this development, the school, thanks to the fundraising successes of the Friends of West Park, commissioned Creative Wave, a local community-based arts company, to work with all 766 of the children at the school over a three-week period.

“The children produced large scale works of art to transform the corridors and dining hall of this large primary school.”

Each of the murals - Rainbow Beach, Seagull, Magical Meadows, Shimmering Sea and Fantastic Fossils - measures 2.5metres by 1.3metres.

The children have also created five three-dimensional underwater worlds, which will be photographed ready to be installed on Worthing Pier this summer for a year-long exhibition.

Grace Prinn, from year six, said: “I think the art that we did was inspirational. It looks amazing and it was so much fun to do.”

Niamh Owen, from year five, said: “I made a little yellow trout and it was used on the Shimmering Sea display. When parents evening came, I rushed to show them right the minute they stepped through the door.”