Highly Commended

Learner Statement:
Exploring habitats and nature through the creation of my peacock sculpture, I have incorporated my heritage, significant as I am half-Indian and half-English. The peacock, India's national bird, also appears on my English family's crest. I crafted the outcome using natural materials found locally, including discarded wire, which was challenging to bend and twist due to its entangled and rigid state. I repurposed paper scraps by blending them into pulp to cover the sculpture in hues of blue and green, connecting with the natural materials I gathered.

Judges' comment:
A thoughtful and personal piece that weaves together heritage, symbolism, and sustainability.

Learner statement:
We have learned a lot! We’ve learned how to have fun, work as a team, and even how to reuse and fix a broken chair. Our design is a giraffe-themed cat bed. It uses a cushion, a curtain, and a giraffe made out of Modroc. We felt great making it and were in a happy mood when we designed it. We’ve learned how to be creative and make new friends while doing art. The best part was learning how to use Modroc! We discovered that you can turn something boring into a masterpiece and enjoy the time you spend doing it. We love creating things!

Judges' comment:
We love the problem-solving this group has shown and a real sense of joy in making it. It’s great to see learners discovering how to reuse materials, try new techniques, and enjoy the process together.

Learner statement:
We were given a few words to use to make a piece of Art out of recycling.  Examples of these words were, twist join, weave, thread, tie.  We had a try at picking objects and joining two objects together using these words.  Later on we were given just two words, these were twist and wrap and we were told to try to make something to hang.  We first hung it off our teacher!  Then we decided to make a tree and we all made a branch each.  This is now displayed in our classroom.

Judges' comment:
The open-ended brief created space for creative problem-solving and playful experimentation. The piece hanging off the teacher is so joyful!

Learner statement:
I created a flying scene of birds over the ocean, using materials that would normally be thrown away. The birds were folded using old revision papers, which shows how something stressful or unwanted can be turned into something peaceful and visual. The ocean below was made using plastic, which I melted and shaped using heat, reminding people of how plastic ends up in the sea and how it can harm ocean life. My work is about transformation— it shows how we can reuse materials and create something new with a story behind it.

Judges' comment:
A striking example of how to reuse unwanted material to create a powerful message.

Learners' statements:
Alice: I felt happy, excited to work independently.
Ava: I was worried, I had a go and I could do it.
Mya: I felt excited as I learnt a new skill I’d never done before.
Isla: I felt happy working independently.
Theo: It was beautiful working together.
Olivia: I enjoyed experimenting, learning new things.
Neve: I felt relaxed, confident. Joel: I felt peaceful.
Zack: I felt relaxed/ good.
Georgia: I felt calm and respectful because I really like Art.
Brianna: I felt very happy and brave.
Taylor: I felt odd, happy and free.
Aafiyah: I felt loved, I loved it.

Judges' comment:
The school parade is a wonderful example of how making can spark joy for both the makers and those who experience the piece! It strikes a great balance between independent creativity and collaborative contribution, while also showing an impressive early understanding of how clothes behave and can be used at this age.