Ark Ayrton Primary Academy children’s entrance display pays lockdown tribute to key workers

The display shows life-size images of doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, refuse collectors, shop workers and teachers. Each child was given a body part to complete before the designs were pieced together and laminated to be displayed at the front of the school.

Year 6 pupil, Vanessa Furkova, eight, said: ‘When we made the key workers outside it was very exciting. We made them to say thank you for their work during Covid-19.’

Fellow pupil, Kaitlyn-Marie Chelton, nine, added: ‘When we were making the key workers it reminded us of how much they’re working at such a hard time.’

It was an initiative close to pupils’ hearts with many of the children’s own parents having worked during lockdown on the pandemic front line.

Year 5 pupil, Samantha Elliott, 10, said: ‘We really enjoyed making the key workers display because our parents are key workers and they’re trying really hard to help everyone.’

Ashleigh Stones, nine, added: ‘We wanted to make this display to show the key workers how grateful we are.’

As well as creating the design, each week the children learnt about a specific key worker and the job they do.

Teacher, Shobana Kohli, who led the project, said: ‘Each week, the children and staff created key worker figures by drawing, painting and colouring. This was then put together to create our display to celebrate the resilience, strength and dedication of the key workers who put themselves at risk. It is our way of thanking them and showing how grateful we are to them.’

Cover supervisor, Jo Parish, who helped co-ordinated the initiative, added: ‘It’s really important the children recognise the work key workers have been doing to keep the country going. The children were really interested in the work they do.’

The striking design certainly seems to have caught the attention of Fratton residents.

Jo added: ‘There has been a fantastic reaction from passers by with comments like “this is beautiful to see” and it’s “nice to see the children still working”.’

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The children’s creation now looks set to become part of a giant collage which is going to be displayed in London.

Jo said: ‘A photograph of the display has been sent to the Peoples’ Picture who are combining thousands of images to create a giant wall tribute in recognition of the work carried out by key workers during the pandemic.’

The exact location is yet to be revealed.

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