Two schools combine creativity in Olympic-themed art relay

Pupils at two Redbridge schools have combined their creativity to paint two huge canvas banners in an Olympics-inspired art relay.

Plans for the unusual project started with the Queen’s visit in March last year, when groups from Valentines High School and Ilford County High School met in a marquee displaying their art in Valentines Park.

Andy Wright, head of art at Ilford County High said: “We talked about doing something together and then it was the Olympics.

“We thought about doing something relating to that as well but not necessarily in the obvious way with sport.”

The final project - “Is it relay art?” - challenged six students from each school to paint one piece of work each in a relay with the theme of contrasting worlds.

For one banner, artists could see the entire work so far but for the other they were allowed to see only the previous piece of work.

When the finished banners were unveiled at Ilford County High School, in Fremantle Road, on Thursday, the students got to see their work together for the first time.

Valentines art teacher Elham Tanner said more projects are being considered for the future.

She added: “It’s interesting to see what pupils from two very different schools - a boys’ grammar school and a mixed comprehensive - produce.”