ART

We have a wonderful light-filled art studio that’s always buzzing with creativity. Boys are encouraged to explore and experiment with a wide range of media. From watercolours and detailed line drawings to pottery, printmaking and photography, the art curriculum at Pilgrims’ builds confidence and allows every boy to develop his own unique artistic voice. We study a diverse range of artists and makers from all over the world and use their work to inspire and inform our own practice and projects. There are many opportunities for boys to practise art  and develop independence and freedom to explore during activity time and commoners.  Boys enjoy the art studio as a calm and relaxed space to be creative in their spare time and enjoy extending their own areas of artistic interest e.g. painting, animation, sculpture, illustration and digital art.
 
 
 

Pilgrims

 

A message from Ros Priddle

Head of Art

 

It’s a dream come true working at Pilgrims’. Our imaginations run wild in the art studio.

It’s a large creative space and I love seeing the boys’ ideas come to life.

For me art is about so much more than teaching drawing, painting or how to make a sculpture. It’s about opening young minds to the world around them and helping our Pilgrims’  express themselves. In terms of development and wellbeing, art provides an essential outlet for boys’ emotions growing up and it’s a privilege to help guide them along the way.        

DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

Boys get to use facilities and equipment normally only found at senior school level and D & T is taught throughout your son’s time at Pilgrims’, giving plenty of time to explore, experiment, create and of course, learn from mistakes. From Year 3, the boys use a dedicated workshop. Alongside classic hand tools, drills, a vacuum former, and a strip heater, our workshop has a precision laser cutter, a Cricut cutting machine, a heat press, and three 3D printers.
 
Digital design and practical engineering are introduced early on with boys in Year 3 learning 2D CAD using TechSoft, before progressing to TinkerCAD from Year 5. In Year 6,  we introduce electronics and boys learn soldering and circuit building. The curriculum builds skills that are industry standard in software and engineering. 
 
Every year we celebrate the boys’ achievements with a combined Design & Technology and Art exhibition.  It’s a fantastic showcase of creativity, hard work, and technical skill. 
We are  proud that one of our boys has just received a D&T Scholarship to Canford.
 
 
 
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A Message from Amy Herbert

Head of Design & Technology

 
 
“Having taught from Year 7 up to A-Level, and now in a prep school setting, I am convinced that the foundational habits we build early on are what make the difference.
 
Critical thinking, spatial awareness, and technical resilience are skills that will serve them whether they become architects, entrepreneurs, or tech leaders.
 
DT isn’t just a subject; it’s a toolkit for the real world.”

IT AND DIGITAL LEARNING 

While we keep screen time to a minimum, IT has an important role in education as in the real world.    

Our two IT suites have state-of-the-art tech and there’s cross over between what’s taught here and other subjects. Boys enjoy programming robotic models, designing their own games, coding and making films. We also use drones and robots so that the boys can see physical outcomes to their coding. Boys’ learning is enriched with programming in various computer languages, AI and stop-frame animation.  

Purple Mash is a platform used by the younger boys to get deeper into their coding journey. Our dancing robot, Polly Pilgrim, offers a different way to code, as well as being good fun to watch. 

Further up the school, the boys’ learning is enriched with programming in various computer languages, stop-frame animation, and game creation, as well as making sure they are comfortable with Microsoft Office and editing software. Virtual reality headsets have been very successful in bringing subjects to life through a fully immersive experience. 
 
Returning from a visit to the Tutankhamun exhibition, Year 3 put on the VR headsets to find themselves standing in the entrance to an Egyptian tomb. The sense of having been there greatly enhanced the boys’ articles, written for The Daily Hieroglyph after their visit. 

Pilgrims

 

Message from Jake Reynolds

Head of Digital Learning

 

We have a no phones in school policy day to day but there’s no escaping the need for young people to grow up able to understand and use all the tech around us.  It means school plays a crucial role in keeping that balance. 

You’d be forgiven for thinking my classes are all in, well, the classroom, but far from it. You’re just as likely to see me taking a class in the Quad, coding then racing robots, or filming,  before going back inside to edit rushes or create animations. 

The world we live in requires a measured response to the technological advances happening day to day, so we take pride in being across it all so we can guide the boy to use digital technology in a positive way.     

 

 

Creative Arts

Creative Arts at Pilgrims’ encourage imagination, expression and confidence, giving boys the opportunity to explore a wide range of artistic and creative disciplines in a vibrant, supportive environment.

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