Year 6 Among the First to Visit Sunderland's Brand-New Culture House

Year 6 pupils from Oxclose Primary Academy recently enjoyed an unforgettable visit to Sunderland's exciting new Culture House, becoming one of the very first schools ever to experience everything the innovative venue has to offer.

With demand for places incredibly high, Mrs Bolam successfully applied for a visit and we were delighted to be selected, giving our children a unique opportunity to explore the new creative hub before many others.

From the moment they arrived, the pupils were immersed in a series of inspiring, hands-on workshops led by professionals from a variety of creative industries. Throughout the day, children were encouraged to develop their creativity, collaborate with others and gain an insight into the exciting career opportunities available within the sector.

The day began with an energetic street dance workshop, where pupils learned new moves and worked together to create routines. This was followed by the opportunity to become podcast hosts, recording their very own discussions about what it is like to be a child growing up in Sunderland today. The children spoke thoughtfully and confidently, sharing their experiences and ideas while developing valuable communication skills.

One of the highlights of the day was an amazing illustration and storytelling session led by Hannah Graham. Using ideas suggested by the children, Hannah created live illustrations before their eyes. Her imaginative drawings included the unforgettable "Mermaid Cowboy Dawe" and "Super Speedy Norton", which brought plenty of laughter and excitement to the session.

The creativity continued with a film-making workshop, where pupils explored the process of creating visual content, before finishing the day with a printing workshop. Working collaboratively, the children designed and produced a striking group print inspired by the theme of space.

The visit was thoroughly enjoyed by all and provided a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to work alongside talented professionals, ask questions about their careers and learn more about the many pathways available within the creative industries. Experiences such as these play an important role in supporting our Career Pathways strand within the PSHE curriculum, helping children to broaden their aspirations and discover the wide range of opportunities that may be available to them in the future.

A huge thank you to the team at Culture House for making our visit so memorable. We feel incredibly lucky to have been among the first schools invited to experience this exciting new venue and we look forward to seeing it inspire many more young people in the years to come.