Straw characters spotted at Bradford school
Staff and students from a Bradford academy were joined by some unusual faces in the playground last week as a scarecrow festival overtook the school grounds.
Southmere Primary Academy, in Great Horton, hosted the event for pupils who not only got to learn how to make the decorative models, but also got the chance to create some of their own.
Each year group fashioned their characters from straw, cloth, ribbon and just about every other material they could get their hands on before scattering their finished characters around the school’s expansive fields.
A judging panel then decided on the winning entry for the day with all shapes and sizes on show.
Vice-Principal, Delyth Roberts, who will take over the reigns as Principal from the start of the next academic year, said it was a fantastic way to round off the school year.
“The children have responded really well to the project which came about after the work of one of our teachers, Sharon McManus, with the gardening club over the past year,” she said.
“They have done a brilliant job of developing the outdoor area and maximising this huge space we have here onsite, growing crops and maintaining the grounds all year.”
She continued: “A lot of pupils do not have such spaces available to them when they are at home. Therefore, the gardening team have worked really hard this year to make sure we make the most of the area.
“The scarecrows look very much at home today.”
Children had spent up to three days creating the scarecrows in their class teams, ensuring each model stood on its own.
From cowboy-inspired designs to Bugs Life and even footballers, the range was extremely broad as students were given the freedom to create their own models.
Year 6 pupil, Farhan said: “We have never done anything quite like this and it has been really fun.”
Classmate, Megan, added: “We have made three scarecrows so far. The task was to make them without any tape or Blu-Tack, but to make sure they will stand on their own.
“It was really good and our scarecrows were great.”
Southmere Primary Academy celebrated its transition to academy status earlier this year with the unveiling of a plaque by then Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Mike Gibbons, and CEO of the National Education Trust, Ian Kershaw.
