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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National

From pictures to words

Art Into Literacy: A colourful, abstract child's painting
Tales of monsters and stories of conquerers have been written and illustrated by pupils taking part in the Out of Art into Literacy project

Molly Kearney, Greenslade Primary School (year 6), pencil and watercolour

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's painting of a still life
Some 1,200 children took part in the project, looking at National Gallery paintings which sparked their storytelling

Adil Ahmed, Fossdene Primary School, wax crayon

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Education gallery: National Gallery gallery
Written work by year 6 pupil Molly Kearney, who analysed the art she saw
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's drawing of a person
The project began when 20 teachers from 10 London schools (all performing below the Sats target) were invited to the National Gallery to learn how to use paintings to encourage learning across the curriculum

Wilfred Cameron Marples, Earlsfield Primary School (Year 5), charcoal

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's letter and envelope addressed to a woman in a painting
The aim was to develop children’s confidence in responding to paintings through speaking and drama. This would then help them to tell their own versions of the stories visually and through writing

Didi Adibe, Archbishop Sumner (Year 4), handwritten letter

Photo © National Gallery, London.
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's collage showing a woman and horse
All the children involved visited the National Gallery to see what became 'their' paintings

Jadian Caprice Brown, Gulleit Abdi-Salan, Crystal Nyarko, Crown Lane Primary School (year 5), collage

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's colourful, abstract painting
Many returned to visit the gallery with their families, confident that they could now see stories behind the paintings

Anmol Kaur, Greenslade Primary School (year 6), pencil and watercolour

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's cartoon drawing
One class teacher, Ruth Grimwood, said: "Overall, I would say the main impacts of the project as far as the children were concerned were extended writing of a far higher quality; high motivation to both write and tell stories; huge levels of engagement, even from reluctant writers ..."

Molly Kearney, Greenslade Primary School (year 6), writing/art work

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's drawing of a cock-a-too
"... I saw more confidence in playing around with ideas and language," Grimwood said.

Holly Coppins, Bannockburn Primary School, pencil/crayon

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A colourful collage made by a child
There is now a stack of art books in the corner of her classroom, which the children often choose at reading time. The catalogue of the National Gallery collection is particularly popular - providing inspiration for many more creative works

Gurpal Bhogal, Greenslade Primary School (year 6), pencil and watercolour

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
Education gallery: National Gallery gallery
More inspired illustration and storytelling from Greenslade primary
Photograph: National Gallery
Art Into Literacy: A child's colllage of a woman's head and bag
Examples of work from a selection of schools will be on show at the National Gallery from September 13 until December 5

Tyese Greene, Abdi Ahmed Adan, Crown Lane Primary School (year 5), Collage

Photo © National Gallery, London
Photograph: National Gallery
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