Wilthorpe Primary School

Engaging character design

The primary children's drawings illustrating Wilthorpe's Good Learner Values

In December 2012, Wilthorpe Primary School wanted to introduce their new “Good Learner” values throughout the school and asked School Postcards to work with them to help them do this effectively.

First of all the pupils were asked to draw pictures of these to show what each value meant to them. The school then selected their favourite pictures and School Postcards created four bespoke character designs based on the children’s drawings. The characters were placed in scenes illustrating each new value as conceived by the children.

School postcards then used these new characters to develop a range of items to help the school consistently promote and teach their ‘Good Learner’ values. This included a set of 8 postcards (one for each individual value). Large encapsulated posters and teaching cards were also produced to help them communicate and instil their new values in the classroom. Large external graphic boards were also installed in the playground.

 

The primary children's drawings illustrating Wilthorpe's Good Learner Values
We created 4 new Wilthorpe characters developed from the children's drawings
The good learner classroom posters are illustrated with new characters to display the school values
The new characters feature on a set of postcards promoting the good learner values

Kathryn Johnson recently completed a number of pieces of work for our school, which included taking a number of different children’s drawings, and re- working them into one coherent set of pictures that we are using to promote core learning values with the children. Individual posters and postcards were produced as well as posters representing all of them together. Kathryn’s approach was very collaborative such that I felt included in all steps of the design process. I particularly liked the way each element of the process was clearly itemised such that I found it easy to decide which parts to go ahead with. It was also very useful that Kathryn worked closely with printers to deliver our requirements. As well as the core value postcards and posters Kathryn also designed our school calendar to a very high standard. I can certainly recommend her work.

Claire Brady

Headteacher, Wilthorpe Primary School