King’s College School creativity contest shows brains and baking skill
A school creativity contest attracted more than 200 entries from pupils and staff – including a scale model of King’s College Chapel made out of gingerbread.
The designs have included a robot, a nativity scene made from recycled cups, dinosaurs, a painting of a peacock made from thumbprints, and a model made from sourdough that shows the differences between neurotypical and dyslexic brains.
Children have also made computer games, a solar system model, a miniature choir, videos and cakes.
Angus Gent, head of design technology at King’s College School, Cambridge, said: “We’ve had more entries than ever and all of them are incredibly creative. We set this challenge every year over the Christmas holidays as an activity to try when it’s wet and cold and to encourage them to do something a bit different.
“We want to allow the individuals to express their creativity and their ideas in as free a way as possible. So there’s no restrictions on what you can make. There has been a huge range of entries from students and staff. The children judge the staff section, and the staff names are all removed, so they don’t know who they’re voting for. And all the staff vote for the children’s entries. So it’s inclusive for everyone to enjoy.”
One astonishing entry is a scale model of King’s College Chapel made in gingerbread, with sugar-stained glass windows (but no solar panels). It is the work of music teacher
Alice Harper.
She said: “I have two children at the school and they encouraged me to make something from gingerbread because they know I love baking. I’ve never made anything of this size before – only a gingerbread house.
“One of my undergraduate degrees was in history of art and architecture, so making the chapel appealed. I made it in paper first – doing all the maths for scale – before rolling out the gingerbread and I baked crushed boiled sweets to make the windows.
“The competition is about trying something different. I’ve loved seeing all the children’s work. Their creations are amazing.”
