School’s Out

As a teacher I was well placed to engage Wells Primary School, Year 3, with coastal change and develop a sonic postcard. I helped the class understand how to ‘paint a picture’ using the five senses and how sounds might express changes to their town. We explored the history of Wells, present-day Wells, and developed an understanding of the future needs of people and the environment. We focused on community, transport, climate/nature, and landscape. The children created sound banks and learnt interviewing skills. They then went out into the community to record the sounds of Wells and to interview residents and business owners. The resulting postcard represents their chosen theme: How can we make Wells and its ocean a better place? The School’s Out sonic postcard expresses the class’s enthusiasm and excitement about life in their local context.

Kirsty Webber-Walton