Crowlees J&I CE (C) Primary School
Welcoming reception graphics
Crowlees CE (c) Junior & Infant School love their new bespoke crow characters so much that they want to display them throughout the whole school. This is so that everyone in school, whether that is the children, teachers, parents, governors or external visitors, know and easily understand the school’s core values.
The head teacher, Kathy Woods, wanted the school reception area to have a real impact and communicate what their school is all about as soon as someone walks in the school entrance. The display needed to incorporate several elements – the school’s mission statement, their core values and an attractive way to display and highlight the children’s work as well as the Crowlees crows. As the school has an outdoor classroom, they wanted this great resource to be reflected in the new reception wall design.
School postcards conceived an eye-catching design which adeptly integrates all the school’s requirements. After plastering the wall, we painted a large tree shape on the wall accentuating the school’s core values and mission statement. The bespoke frames are an integral part of the design, displayed in such a way to look like the crows are holding up the children’s work. The vibrant, eye-catching graphics are complemented by brushed steel lettering welcoming all visitors to the school.
We began by working with all the stakeholders in school to articulate our values. We worked with children, parents, staff and Governors to come up with our 8 values that fitted the school name.
We then wanted to make these visible and memorable for all ages, and to create a school ‘character’ to help the younger children in particular to relate these values to their everyday behaviour.
We worked with Kathryn to produce the ‘Crowlees Crow’, which then developed into a girl crow and a boy crow – whom the children named in a competition as Mo Crow ad Jo Crow.
The crows are displayed around school, and used on all school correspondence to epitomise the values of Crowlees.
Using the Crowlees Values and crow design has meant that all the values are understood are memorable and meaningful for all ages, and used consistently by all adults in school to promote positive behaviour and Christian values.
We are expanding this theme next year with a ‘Crowlees Code of Conduct ‘ based on houses for children. The ‘House Crows’: Jackdaws, Magpies, Ravens and Jays are also being designed by Kathryn.