The Friary School have been working with Lichfield Cathedral on their latest art installation, following on from the success of doves of peace project last year.
This year we are supporting the Cathedral’s engagement programme with a project entitled ‘In the Image and Likeness’ that will celebrate our personal journeys, our individuality and our human commonality. Artist Peter Walker will create the installation from golden framed self-portraits suspended in the centre of Lichfield Cathedral with it forming part of our Christmas event ‘The Cathedral Illuminated 2019: The Beginning’.
The Friary School have selected ten portraits of individuals that we believe fully represent our school community. The commitment of a huge number of people is needed on a daily basis to ensure that our school is a success, our portraits are reflective of this.
We have settled upon including five student and five staff portraits to represent our community.
Our student portraits are made up of firstly a year 7 student in Darwin House. Year 7 is the start of all students secondary school journey, school is theirs to conquer.
Year 9 is represented by a student in Garrick House. This is a very important year in the life of our students, big choices and decisions are made as students begin the journey down their GCSE pathway.
Year 10 is the start of exam courses proper. This is where the going gets real tough and our Year 10 students are represented by a student in Johnson House.
Year 11 is a time when students have to be at their most resilient. Exam courses end and students make decisions as to their post-16 plans. Our Year 11’s are represented by a student in Seward House.
We have a very successful Sixth Form at The Friary. Many of our post-16 students take on greater responsibility and serve as real leaders within our community. Our Sixth Form students are represented by our Head Girl.
We have also selected five portraits to represent the adults who work every day in school to ensure that our students are a success. From the teaching staff we have two portraits, a newly qualified teacher at the start of their teaching career and our most senior member of staff, the Headteacher.
Our longest serving member of staff is involved, part of our excellent cleaning team, who has represented the Friary with distinction for over 50 years. Our school receptionist for many is the friendly face of The Friary and finally a member of the site team is representative of all of the individuals who work hard behind the scenes to ensure that our school community can thrive.
Matt Allman, Headteacher, said: “This is a fantastic project and we are delighted to be involved. It is a real chance to celebrate all sections of our school as it is these individual parts which create the sum of our community. The Art Department have been integral in this work and this is only the latest of their community projects over recent years.”
