28322 A CARNIVAL procession featuring dragons and mythical gods marked the climax of five days of artistic fun at Aloeric Primary School.

The Melksham school's arts week proved such a hit with pupils that many are already asking teachers when they can do it again.

Youngsters from the reception class to Year 6 spent the week before half-term getting stuck into a series of environmentally themed projects from mosaics to papier mache.

Inspired by visiting artist Jenny Payne and an exhibition of work brought in by teachers, the children's creativity was there for all to see.

Among them was Year 5 pupil Elliot Sears, 10, who worked with three friends to create Spike the dragon.

He said: "I enjoyed getting my hands and trousers covered in glue, it's been a wicked week. I just want to do it again."

Elliot and his classmates also created autumn pictures using a number of different materials while in Year 3 printing scored highly with eight-year-old Kelly Coffin.

She said: "I enjoyed getting all messy with my fingers. We also used cardboard squares to make into nature shapes and put lino down to protect the floor from ink."

Year 5 pupil Lucie Finch, 10, enjoyed making animals in a joint venture with pupils in Year 4.

She said: "Most of us made monsters, but one group made a rabbit because they wanted to do something cuter."

Aloeric's arts week involved all its 400 plus pupils, but it was the oldest ones in Year 6 who were given the greatest scope in which to work. As a result youngsters transformed their classrooms into jungle and underwater scenes, the latter complete with mermaids and Neptune.

The school has done smaller scale events in the past, but arts co-ordinator and Year 3 teacher Katherine Davies was determined this one would have a lasting impact on pupils.

She said: "I was asked to do an arts day and it developed into an arts week.

"I feel that with our current curriculum we squash so much in and don't give the children the opportunity to be creative enough. This week has given them the chance to do that.

"Staff are feeling exhausted, but it's been a really superb week. It's also been a good way to introduce some of the children to contemporary artists.

"At the end of the week we've been focusing on making clothes and props for the big procession."

The results of the arts week, which include aquariums and tissue paper butterflies, are now on display around the school.