Cultural experiences in school

There are many ways in which children experience culture beyond the curriculum within our school. These experiences all enhance and add to our learners understanding and awareness of the world. It is our aim to expose children to experiences that they may not get elsewhere. Below is just a flavour of some of the cultural experience we have provided this year to our pupils so far...

We aim to provide 101 special days, events and cultural experiences across a school year!

The Shakespeare Festival 2022

Our amazing Y5 children performed at The Arts Depot on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th June. The quality of the performance was exceptionally high. Macbeth portrayed in dance and in drama by 9 and 10 year olds! 

Wembley Stadium - Women’s FA Cup Final

Thanks to Mr Courtnage - many Orion children and parents got to experience a Cup Final match at Wembley Stadium. Looking at their faces it was wonderful! 

Pet Club meet Student Vets

Our trainee vet visitors brought in some animal specimens including snakes, geckos and a caiman.  The children learned how to bandage a toy dog, how to feel for a pulse in a dog and they even met Leia, a beautiful and patient Labrador cross.  They used stethoscopes to listen to Leia's heart and showed great knowledge of all thing animals, asked some thoughtful questions and were brilliantly mannered and appreciative of our visitors! 

Y1 at The Science Museum

3G's Visit to Hendon Hall Senior Living

Our Y3 Sunshiners took their sunny vibe to visit some elderly residents in a care home this week. They planted a time capsule in the grounds of the home, putting inside mementos from The Orion, artwork representing what makes them happy and letters to their future selves. They showed impeccable kindness, good manners and care talking to the residents and enjoying a lovely lunch in the sunshine.

This is a portrait painted by David Hockney of Mr & Mrs Clarke and Percy. 

David Hockney is one of the best known British artists of the 21st century.

He was friends with Mr and Mrs Clarke also known as Ozzie Clarke (a fashion designer in the 1960's) and Celia Birtwell (a fabric designer).

Mr and Mrs Clarke are no longer married but David Hockney and Celia are still friends to this day.

What can you see in this portrait? Do the couple look happy? What objects can you see? Why do you think Hockney painted these? Can you research any other pieces of work by Hockney? What else could you find out about him?

Cultural trips

We aim to increase the cultural capital of all our pupils with a huge range of trips outside of the school. The school subsidises every trip to reduce the parental contribution so that every child can participate.

Y1 have visited The Golden Hinde in London, Y2 and Y6 the RAF Museum in Hendon so far this term. You can find some information about these trips and how to visit these in holidays or weekends by clicking on the links below.

Sail through history on The Golden Hinde. Find out how you can book tickets to visit it here.

The Golden Hinde is on the river Thames right by The Globe Theatre. Click on the links here for other places you can visit nearby.

Each month every pupil will be exposed to a work of art that can be visited in London. The aim of this is to be able to recognise some well known and some lesser known paintings or art works, know some facts about the piece, the artist and the time in history it may have been created.

The Arnolfini Portrait 1434

This is thought to be a portrait of a very wealthy Italian merchant and his wife.

There are some clues in the picture that show them to have been important people and very rich

• the bed - most people did not own one - if you did it was on display in the living room - this one is carved and covered with throws. 
• the couple wear fur (even though it looks like warm weather outside (see the cherry blossom) and bright coloured clothes
• there are oranges on the window ledge - these were very very expensive

Find out more

What do you think the painting shows?

Jan Van Eyck was the painter - can you find out more about him?

Find out more about September's piece of art

The painting is of two young women sitting up in bed, fully dressed, each holding an infant.

They are traditionally said to be sisters, although the different coloured eyes of the ladies and children show that they are not identical twins.

The babies are swaddled in red christening robes.

The painting was known to be in the collection of Thomas Cholmondeley (pronounced 'Chumley')

The style of the painting would seem to date it to c.1600-10

Family group portraits of this type were popular in the Elizabethan and early Stuart periods.

You can visit this painting at The Tate Britain in London.