Cuddington Croft pupils prove to be anything but just another brick inthe wall

Pupils at Cuddington Croft School in Cheam have come up with a unique way of leaving a lasting legacy on the building – by creating a tile wall made up of self-portraits.

The mosaic wall is a feature of the school’s new library and classroom complex, which pupils and their families have been able to watch going up through the course of the academic year, and which was opened by the mayor of Epsom and Ewell in April. Now over 400 children have been able to claim a little piece of it as their own with the ceramic
picture gallery.

“The idea came about when the school converted to Academy status last September,” said head teacher Scott Maclean. “We knew we had the new building coming, which was the start of another new era at the school, so we thought what better way to capture this moment in Cuddington’s history than to allow every child, and also every member of staff, to leave their mark for years to come. We’re lucky that two of our parents run Cheam Village Ceramics, so it seemed a really original and appropriate way to commemorate this year."

What was envisaged as being a piece of decoration has also become a useful way of keeping the children entertained at play time – and their parents at pick-up time. “The children love it – they spend ages looking at it, picking out themselves and their friends,” said Mr Maclean. “And it’s not just them – I’ve seen plenty of parents gazing at it at home time as well, so it’s keeping everyone entertained!”