Most art displays in primary schools focus on the result: a beautiful drawing or colourful college perhaps. And why not - sharing children’s art is a joy for all involved, especially parents.

However, at The British School Al Khubairat (BSAK) we wanted to do more to help parents recognise that art being displayed at school was not simply a “nice thing” - but the product of the same structured learning, focus and hard work as any other subject, and that the journey of learning is just as important as the outcome.

To do this we decided to launch a new initiative to display all stages of the creative process, from the early spark of an idea to the final masterpiece, and for pupils from Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 6.

Witness the process

So we have turned our reception area of the primary school into a “gallery space” where parents see every stage of the artistic process.

This means children’s sketchbooks, working drawings and exploratory pieces sit alongside finished artworks, often showing clearly how an original idea evolved or was developed.

Keeping these materials is something we have done in the past for in-class displays, so doing it for external viewing is not a huge change - although we have decided not to put names on the artwork, so the focus is on the art, not the individual pupils.

We will also regularly change the displays to ensure a cross-section of styles of work and different age groups is catered for.

To ensure how the pieces are displayed and presented is consistent, guidance has been provided on how the work should be mounted, displayed and written about, and I reviewed and approved all materials.

Art in action

As well as the art itself, the gallery will provide photographs and videos that bring the creative journeys to life by showing students in the act of creating their pieces.

Where possible, the majority of the photographs were taken by me to ensure uniformity across the displays. On occasions when I was not available, camera settings were provided and two designated staff members took the photographs, which I then reviewed and approved.

All video footage has been created by me as well, again to preserve a consistent look and feel throughout.

To maintain fairness and avoid highlighting individual students, we made a deliberate decision to photograph only the work itself or the students’ hands during the creative process. This approach ensures the focus remains on the learning and artistic development rather than on individual recognition. (Of course, any students whose families have requested that they not be featured in any imagery or videos will not be included.)

These visual elements allow viewers to witness the joy, curiosity and thinking that take place during each lesson - whether mixing colours for the first time in Nursery, sculpting with clay in Year 2, or interpreting a famous artist’s technique in Year 6.

Explore, experiment, express

At every stage, the focus remains the same: to provide each child with the opportunity to explore, imagine, experiment and express themselves through their own unique artistic voice.

To make the display accessible and inclusive for our diverse school community, every description of the creative process is presented in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish - the four languages taught at BSAK.

This multilingual approach ensures that all families and visitors can engage meaningfully with the work on display, and it also reflects our school’s commitment to celebrating linguistic and cultural diversity.

Reading about the same learning moment in four different languages reinforces the idea that art, like language, connects us across backgrounds and experiences.

Overall, our primary reception display is more than a gallery - it is a celebration of thinking, creating and growing.

It invites everyone who walks through our doors to witness the power of artistic learning in real time. By combining children’s artwork with dynamic multimedia elements and multilingual storytelling, we offer a rich, inclusive, and inspiring view of the power of art.

Marissa McCormack is a Year 2 teacher at the British School of Al Khubairat

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