Last Thursday, our Year 1 children enjoyed an exciting and inspiring visit to the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead. The day was packed with creativity, teamwork and discovery, all linked closely to our learning in school.

The children began their visit at the indoor viewing platform, where they had a fantastic view across the River Tyne. From here, they carefully spotted, discussed and drew some of the famous bridges that cross the river. This led perfectly into an exciting design challenge. Working in small teams, the children were tasked with creating their own bridge. There was a twist, however – each group was only given one piece of card, a pencil and a pair of scissors! The children showed brilliant teamwork, problem-solving skills and imagination as they planned and constructed their bridges together.

After completing the challenge, the children explored one of the exhibitions, which had a strong focus on the ocean. They looked closely at the artwork, shared their thoughts and then drew some of their favourite pieces, producing some thoughtful and detailed sketches.

We then stopped for lunch in a beautiful room inside the Baltic that overlooked the River Tyne, giving everyone a chance to relax and refuel while enjoying the views. Following lunch, we set off on a very wet walk along the quayside. Despite the rain, the children enthusiastically spotted historical objects and landmarks that will support our upcoming local history topic.

It was a wonderful day of learning, creativity and exploration, and the children represented the school superbly throughout.