1 Jan 2006 - The Golden Tapestry
The Golden Tapestry: Heighington C of E Primary School Project Number: 5190917
Name: Heighington C of E Primary School
Address: Heighington, Co Durham, England
Brief: 01C Our Traditions and Festivals in January
Our work depicts a representation of what is important to us as a village primary school. 140 Key Stage 2 children have contributed to the work.
The children identified the areas to be included in the final design. They chose the golden arch to represent Janus, the ancient god of doorways and arches - new beginnings and opportunities. They also wanted to symbolize January by both the snowdrops on the village green and the snowflakes falling in the dark, winter sky.
The now established tradition of New Year firework displays, included in the tapestry as rockets exploding from the funnel of Stephenson's Rocket, represents an important link with famous local history. Heighington Station, situated five miles from Darlington, was where George Stephenson's Locomotion No 1 was first put on the rails of the famous Stockton & Darlington Railway in September 1825. The open carriages transport the items symbolising our major January Festival of the Epiphany: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
We have strong links with St Michael's, the village church, and wanted to incorporate this beautiful Saxon building into our design.
Finally, the recently restored church bells, named Faith, Hope and Charity, are part of our school badge, depicted on the front of the Rocket, and symbolise the values that are our School Tradition.
The Golden Tapestry
WHAT THE GOLDEN TAPESTRY IS ALL ABOUT
The Golden Tapestry celebrates Her Majesty the Queen's 50 years as Head of the Commonwealth. It is designed to bring together the first generation of primary school children in the 21st Century, and to give them a voice to express what being part of the Commonwealth means to them.
Schools in every Commonwealth country and territory are being invited to contribute to a story that will cover a year in the life of the Commonwealth and describe what different aspects of their lives the children would most like to show Her Majesty. It will be a dazzling celebration of diversity. The briefs all reflect the principles that unite the Commonwealth, underlining peace and friendship, understanding and cooperation. In each country we are seeking to involve schools and groups of children representing every community, every faith and every tradition.
The project has the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Commonwealth Foundation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and the governments of many Commonwealth countries, provinces and states. The Golden Tapestry is being organized cooperatively by offices in different countries throughout the Commonwealth.
In the region of 700 schools have signed up in 45 countries: Anguilla, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, England, the Falkland Islands, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guernsey, India, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, St Kitts and Nevis, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Uganda, Wales and Zambia.
The programme of major exhibitions has got off to a flying start with a a brilliant show in Melbourne for the XVIII Commonwealth Games. The work of around 250 schools from 31 different countries was shown in the two venues, each display illustrating a year in the life of the Commonwealth through the eyes of its children.
An estimated 31,870 people came to see the Golden Tapestry, including many school parties, athletes, government ministers and officials from different countries, visitors to the Games and the townspeople of Melbourne
WHAT THE GOLDEN TAPESTRY IS ALL ABOUT
The Golden Tapestry celebrates Her Majesty the Queen's 50 years as Head of the Commonwealth. It is designed to bring together the first generation of primary school children in the 21st Century, and to give them a voice to express what being part of the Commonwealth means to them.
Schools in every Commonwealth country and territory are being invited to contribute to a story that will cover a year in the life of the Commonwealth and describe what different aspects of their lives the children would most like to show Her Majesty. It will be a dazzling celebration of diversity. The briefs all reflect the principles that unite the Commonwealth, underlining peace and friendship, understanding and cooperation. In each country we are seeking to involve schools and groups of children representing every community, every faith and every tradition.
The project has the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Commonwealth Foundation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and the governments of many Commonwealth countries, provinces and states. The Golden Tapestry is being organized cooperatively by offices in different countries throughout the Commonwealth.
In the region of 700 schools have signed up in 45 countries: Anguilla, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, England, the Falkland Islands, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guernsey, India, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, St Kitts and Nevis, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Uganda, Wales and Zambia.
The programme of major exhibitions has got off to a flying start with a a brilliant show in Melbourne for the XVIII Commonwealth Games. The work of around 250 schools from 31 different countries was shown in the two venues, each display illustrating a year in the life of the Commonwealth through the eyes of its children.
An estimated 31,870 people came to see the Golden Tapestry, including many school parties, athletes, government ministers and officials from different countries, visitors to the Games and the townspeople of Melbourne