News Upper and Lower Sixth Form Artists Take Learning Beyond the Studio 05.11.2026

The first three days of the half-term offered Upper and Lower Sixth Form A Level and IB artists an exciting opportunity to take their creative practice beyond the classroom. A programme of specialist workshops explored photographic processing, relief printing techniques including lithography, and advanced drawing, alongside a memorable mudlarking adventure on the banks of the Thames with the Thames Explorer Trust.

Led by an archaeologist specialising in London’s history, students searched the riverbank for artefacts revealed by the shifting tides, uncovering objects dating back more than 400 years. Far more than historical curiosities, these discoveries and their stories connected with students’ individual creative enquiries, providing rich inspiration for exploring how objects can carry meaning and act as powerful metaphors in their own work.

One particularly thrilling moment came when the wake of a passing tourist clipper disturbed the river’s edge, revealing a Roman coin in the shifting silt. Students were invited to handle this extraordinary discovery, which the archaeologist described as an even finer example than one held in the British Museum! A remarkable reminder that centuries of history lie literally at our feet, waiting to be discovered.

Art and Design is distinctive in its ability to connect histories, cultures and human experience through the act of making. These workshops encouraged students to embrace creative risk, experiment with unfamiliar processes and recognise that mistakes and unexpected outcomes can often lead to the most original and beautiful discoveries. Ultimately, the experience was about looking differently, thinking more deeply and finding inspiration in the world around us.