Celebrate North East Heritage on the walls of your school.
The North East’s Heritage is a rich celebration of landmarks, stories and culture from the past.
So we’re delighted that many schools across Tyne & Wear have used bespoke Wall Art by Promote Your School to give a proud nod to their heritage.
There are many ways to celebrate your region’s heritage across your school;
- Use an area map to highlight key landmarks that showcase the region’s rich heritage
- Weave local events from the past into a timeline about historic milestones from around the world
- Pick a particular aspect of your heritage and go into detail, using images, facts, stats and quotes
- Celebrate the diverse range of beliefs and faiths that characterise your region
- Emulate local heritage tours and trails visually, on the walls of your school
Why heritage matters
Marcus Garvey said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
It’s vital for pupils to understand their local heritage so they can build context about their place in the wider world.
Culturally, understanding one’s heritage can also help shape mindsets and behaviours.
It can motivate pupils to want to invest in education, enrich their local knowledge, build on the lessons of the past and celebrate past achievements and successes in their local area.
Local pride
There’s plenty to be proud of in the North East of England. With some of the most iconic landmarks, and a rich shipbuilding and coal mining history, this area has much to offer.
In 1294 Newcastle built a galley for the King’s fleet and ships were built at Sunderland from at least 1346, and at Stockton from at least 1470. The early ships were built of wood but in the nineteenth century there was a move towards building ships of iron.
Shipbuilding remained a robust industry across multiple areas of the North East throughout the 1800s and 1900s. Although little remains of the docks and shipbuilding yards, the shipbuilding heritage is still visible on the Tyne’s bridges.
Motivation and inspiration
Sadly, today, almost two-fifths of children in the north-east live in poverty.
It’s challenging to raise aspirations and motivate pupils at school when they have limited opportunities at home.
But education is a powerful enabler that creates opportunity. And, if schools can harness curiosity, and engage and inspire pupils to dream big, pupils will develop a learning mindset.
It’s therefore important that pupils can see the positive aspects of their local areas showcased visually. And understand that people have faced many hardships throughout history, but never ceased to work hard in the face of adversity.
Images of aspirational people, alongside their inventions and industries can be very inspiring for pupils. It can spark the spirit of entrepeneurship and reinforce the value of education in creating opportunities for the future.
North East heritage in action
In the North East, the Tyne and Wear Heritage Way is an 80 mile route taking in the rich historic and industrial heritage of the area. It winds its way around Newcastle upon Tyne along the coast and inland through wooded valleys and over high ground with distant views.
But, many pupils may not have the opportunity or appetite to visit parts of this route in the flesh.
So, many schools are opting to feature aspects of the route on their walls instead. This is a wonderfully visual way to guide pupils along the route, without needing to leave their school buildings!
Wall Art for schools in the North East
Want to celebrate your heritage on the walls of your school?
Get in touch! Our North East based consultant, Helen, travels around Tyne and Wear, helping schools achieve their improvement goals through stunning Wall Art by Promote Your School.
Helen has significant experience and a passion for education. So she can confidently advise schools on the best ways to transform their learning environments.
Get in touch to arrange a free, no obligation visit to get started.
