Woodingdean Primary School unveils recycled material animal murals

Students at Woodingdean Primary School took part in workshops to help separate the different materials to create each of the 14 art pieces.

The murals, representing each of the classes at the school, will go on display in the school’s main entrance and help to teach the children about sustainability.

Animal murals on the wall (Image: Woodingdean Primary School)

Head teacher Gemma Chumnansin said: “To be able to show the children how you can re-use bits people are throwing away was really important for us.

“We wanted the kids to be involved in it and they helped sort all the junk which shows them how much waste there is but also that it can be re-used rather than binning it.

“Lots of parents say their kids are making think out of junk at home now. It’s really raised the profile of art and sustainability in the school.”

Children helping to create the murals (Image: Woodingdean Primary School)

As part of the project, children helped to separate the materials needed for each animal mural including an orangutan made of basketball and a hummingbird made of hot water bottles.

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Once the materials were separated, the murals were put together by Kate Gulland, a supply teacher at the school.

Some of the murals, such as the individual honeybees, were made by the children who painted pieces of unwanted jewellery.

Each of the animals represents a class of children at the school, all of which are named after animals such as leopards and Bonobo chimpanzees.

Honeybee mural made of unwanted jewellery (Image: Woodingdean Primary School)

Kate, who runs after school clubs as part of her company, Out of the Box, added: “I wanted to offer the children the chance to learn about how much waste is produced.

“It’s turning trash into treasure, and I think the children started to get the message.

“The amount they will have got out of it is fantastic.”

Hummingbird made of hot water bottles and other materials (Image: Woodingdean Primary School)

All of the materials were gathered from across Sussex, with much of the materials gained from Scrap Space in Shoreham a well as the Patcham Freecycle Facebook group.

The murals will be officially unveiled later this month at a special event attended by Brighton and Hove mayor Jackie O’Quinn.