A NEW creative collaboration is inspiring pupils at Heron Hill Primary School to celebrate the past, present and future in the lead up to the school's 40th anniversary in October.

Professional artists and designers from local arts charity Kendal Windows on Art( KWoA) are working with pupils from Year One to Year Six to explore a wide range of creative activities including surface decoration, intergenerational community art, natural dyes, publication design editing and printing, local history research and map making.

One of the most exciting opportunities for Year Five pupils and staff has been developing ideas using 3D printing technology with digital artist Adam Clarke.

Through working with Adam, who was recently shortlisted for a Tate Britain IK prize, the children were able to develop their IT skills, learn more about cutting edge digital technology and see their 2D ideas digitally transformed into 3D.

"For the children to have an opportunity to work alongside an internationally renowned professional artist like Adam is extremely rare and very inspiring," said head teacher Peter Hicks.

"The children’s ideas and the work they are creating are fantastic as a result. Our whole school theme this half term is about the community and our school’s place within it and working with KWoA has helped us to take part in many activities outside school and collaborate with community groups."

On October 10 former staff members and Governors will be joined by local dignitaries for guide tours of the school followed by an afternoon tea served by current pupils.

Mr Hicks said: “It has been quite a challenge to identify and track down some of the original teachers from 1974 but we unearthed the original log book which gave us some good leads. Hopefully anyone from this group who hasn’t been invited will see this article and get in touch with us.”

The celebrations continue on October 11 when the school will be opening its doors to everyone from 11am.

There will be tours of the school, inside and out, craft stalls and demonstrations and a hog roast.

The event will culminate when a time capsule is sealed containing artefacts from the school and with instructions not to be opened until 2050.