I recently had the pleasure of joining a video call with Midmill School to give a little presentation and answer some questions about how they can use Sketch Squares. A massive thank you to Head Teacher, Katie Finch, for writing about their journey:

As Head Teacher of Midmill School, my holidays are often a time to adventure, recharge and refocus. But the October holidays last year turned out to be the spark for something truly inspirational for Midmill School. While searching for art for my new flat, I stumbled across the work of Faye Bridgwater on King&McGaw. Her vibrant and modern landscape pieces immediately caught my attention. Fascinated, I followed her on Instagram and discovered she was about to start something called November Squares. Little did I know, this chance encounter would change how I thought about the teaching of art in our school.

A New Beginning in Art

Art and I have always had a complicated relationship. I’ve never felt confident in my artistic abilities and, truth be told, often shied away from it altogether. I was always the PE teacher. But something about Faye’s initiative and the simplicity of the squares intrigued me. I decided to buy a set of materials as a gift for my friend and teacher in school, hoping to encourage her to rekindle her love for art. As we watched the daily prompts roll out on Faye’s Instagram, we quickly realised how versatile and engaging the concept of November Squares could be as a teaching tool. It was such a simple, accessible idea that could inspire creativity without overwhelming our pupils, or people like me who were put off by a blank page.

Introducing Squares to the Classroom

We decided to introduce Faye’s Squares as a creative tool during art lessons in P4 (Age 8). From the very first session, the response from the pupils was overwhelming. They were captivated by the possibilities – creating patterns, experimenting with colour, and telling stories within the confines of a small square. Week after week, the class looked forward to their art lessons with great excitement. What’s more, they started asking if they could use squares during their free time to make their own creations. To add to the excitement, Faye was kind enough to join us for a Teams call. She shared her journey as an artist, her inspirations, and how the November Squares initiative came to life. Her words deeply resonated with both pupils and staff, and it added a whole new layer of meaning to the project.

Beautiful Art and Heartwarming Moments

Jude McBean, our wonderful P4 teacher, truly embraced the November Squares initiative, bringing creativity and enthusiasm to every lesson. She thoughtfully planned and implemented a series of engaging activities, making connections across the curriculum and inspiring her pupils to explore new ideas. Jude also skilfully linked the November Squares work to Writing, giving pupils a meaningful and authentic purpose for their work. Each pupil wrote a heartfelt letter to Faye, thanking her for inspiring the initiative. This purposeful writing experience not only reinforced gratitude but also provided an opportunity for pupils to showcase their writing potential in a real and engaging context.

As well as fantastic pieces of writing, the artwork that emerged from this project was stunning. Each piece told a story, expressed a feeling, or simply brought joy through its vibrant colours and imaginative patterns. The pupils really embraced the project and each piece they produced demonstrated their creativity and individuality. Throughout the month of November, there were 30 different prompts that you could explore. Our P4 class engaged with:

- Hold it Differently: Where the pupils experimented with different ways of holding their pencils, even trying it with their eyes shut or using the wrong hand to create dynamic firework squares.

- Stick it Down: Where the pupils used autumn leaves collected from the meadow outside to create beautiful collage squares.

- Handwriting: Inspired by our new vision and values, pupils selected a word or phrase and wrote it in different styles within their squares.

- Dib Dab: Exploring pointillism, pupils used their fingers to create intricate and colourful designs.

- ROYGBIV: Where we took art outside, painting giant squares in chalk with all the colours of the rainbow.

- Two Faced: This was a class favourite where pupils used the number 2 to create funny and imaginative faces.

- Big to Small: This was my personal favourite, where pupils followed instructions to make blue swirls for 1 minute, then green hash tags for 30 seconds, then smiley faces in black pen for 1 minute etc. on a large piece of paper until it was covered. Once it was dry they used the square tool to select interesting squares within the picture and cut them out.

One of the most rewarding aspects of participating in November Squares was hearing our pupils reflect on its impact. A P4 pupil shared, “It made me more confident in art because today I drew something really good. I’ve never drawn like that before.”; Another said, “I feel prouder when I create something. I’ve always loved art, but before, when I looked at my finished work, I’d only see what was wrong and end up throwing it away. Since working with Faye, I feel like I appreciate my art more, and it’s improved a lot.”;

By the end of the November Squares initiative, I found myself inspired to join the class for the ‘Big to Small’ art lesson. Instead of dreading art and shying away, I embraced the creative process alongside the pupils. It was a personal milestone for me and a testament to the power of stepping outside your comfort zone.

Reflections on the Impact

What started as a personal exploration during my holidays has grown into a fantastic tool for our art curriculum. The simplicity of the squares provided a gateway for creativity, allowing pupils to express themselves without fear of failure. It also reminded me of the power of stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing something new. As we continue to use the squares as a tool for creativity, I can’t wait to see how this evolves in our school. The pupils have taught me that art isn’t about perfection – it’s about expression, joy, and the courage to try. If you’re an educator looking for a simple yet transformative way to inspire your pupils, I can’t recommend this approach enough. Sometimes, all it takes is a square to open up a world of creativity.