Southfield Digital Arts

At Southfield, we believe the arts are a powerful way for children to make sense of the world, to express themselves, and to engage critically with the media rich environment they are growing up in. In response to the evolving landscape of creativity in the digital age, we introduced The Digital Arts, an exciting cross curricular initiative that equips pupils with the creative, technical and reflective skills needed to thrive in a world where art and technology increasingly go hand in hand.

The Digital Arts are fully embedded into our curriculum, reaching every year group from Reception to Year 6. Central to this programme is the belief that children must both create and respond. They are not passive consumers of digital content but active, imaginative makers and critical thinkers. Whether working with sound, image, movement or mixed media, our pupils explore artistic identity, meaning and impact in dynamic and hands on ways.

One of the highlights of this work was Photography Week, a whole school celebration of visual storytelling. Each year group was given a photographic genre and a significant artist to study, including Martin Parr, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Tatsuya Tanaka. Children engaged in both artist analysis and practical work, replicating the visual styles of their selected photographers. They considered the choices behind composition, light, emotion, and symbolism, before applying their learning in their own projects. From Reception's playful space explorations to Year 6's studies on connection and social commentary, every child had the opportunity to experience photography as both a craft and a mode of communication. The week culminated in a public exhibition where pupils’ work was showcased and celebrated.

Another cornerstone of the Digital Arts is the launch of Southfield School Radio, an entirely student led broadcasting platform that empowers children to plan, write, record, and edit their own content. With weekly broadcasts after school on Mondays and Fridays, and daily morning music shows to start the day, the radio station has become a voice for the school community. Children produce everything from fictional stories to interviews and news bulletins, learning script writing, performance, and audio production. The radio also reinforces speaking and listening skills, encourages collaboration, and gives children a platform to express their views, imagination and creativity.

Both projects are rooted in our school’s wider commitment to authentic learning, where knowledge is applied in meaningful contexts and pupils see their ideas brought to life in ways that matter to them and others. Parents have been invited to workshops and exhibitions, helping to create a shared culture of creativity, confidence, and innovation across our school community.

Through The Digital Arts, our pupils are not only becoming confident artists and media makers, but also thoughtful analysts of the digital world around them. They are learning to communicate, question, and create with purpose, skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom.

Southfield School Radio

As part of our extensive and dynamic curriculum enrichment offer for our pupils the SDP this year includes a focus on the Digital Arts, including photography, vlogs/blogs and the addition of our very own school radio!

The link below will provide access to our school radio station that is run by the pupils and staff together. Children are planning and executing broadcasts that also allow for links to the English curriculum in multimedia whilst implementing a creative outlook of expression which can be heard by all members of the school community and families at home.

Each morning, a show will be broadcast from 8:40am until 9am. In addition to this, there will also be longer shows bookending the week—a special broadcast on Monday after school and another on Friday from 3:30 - 4pm.

To tune into the radio, simply click on the tab below during the time slots mentioned above, click play, and ensure your sound is on.

https://streaming.broadcast.radio/southfield

Southfield Photography Week

At Southfield, we believe that the study of digital art has much to offer our pupils in fostering their creativity, technical skills, and independent expression. We aim to equip children with a strong foundation in digital arts, inspiring them to explore innovative ways of communicating ideas and making meaningful contributions to society in the digital age. This year as part of our school development plan we hope to enrich and expand the children’s learning through the digital arts in a few new areas.

Studying the digital arts has a host of benefits such as :

Teaching the Foundations of Creativity and Technology: Digital artistry has profoundly shaped the way we communicate and express ourselves in the modern world. It bridges the gap between creativity and technology, providing children with essential skills for the 21st century.
Encouraging Cultural Insight: Digital art reflects and shapes culture, allowing students to explore diverse perspectives and voices. By creating and analysing digital works, pupils reflect on their own identities and the lives of others, fostering empathy and understanding in a globalized, multi-cultural society.
Giving Opportunities for Wide-Ranging Thinking: Digital art encourages students to cross subject boundaries, combining elements of design, storytelling, and technology. This interdisciplinary approach nurtures innovation and problem-solving.
Allowing for Depth and Breadth: The study of digital artistry is inherently versatile. It encompasses graphic design, animation, photography, video production, and digital illustration, offering pupils the chance to explore both technical skills and artistic expression.

Photographers and themes being studied:

Reception - Ian Rankin and Space
Year 1 - Edward Weston and Spring
Year 2 - Tatsuya Tanaka and Perspective
Year 3 - Julius Shulman and Architecture
Year 4 - Julia Cameron and Lighting
Year 5 - Dorothea Lange and Emotion
Year 6 - Martin Parr and Connections

As part of the dedication to enriching pupils' curriculum experiences at Southfield, this year the children have had the wonderful opportunity to immerse themselves in the photographer and the themes listed above. As part of our contexualisation pillar of the curriculum, children also visited a host of London galleries to see exhibitions from famous photographers around the world and then using all the knowledge they acquired across the week, shot photos in the style of their chosen photographer and created amazing exhibitions, some of which you will see below.

Photography Week Exhibitions:

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