Guernsey Press

Herm calendar a 2013 page-turner

IT WOULDN'T be the winter season without the arrival of the annual Herm school calendar.

Published

IT WOULDN'T be the winter season without the arrival of the annual Herm school calendar.

This year's theme followed on from that of the summer concert, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.

Wilde's work was very popular with the children last year. Teacher Mary Carey introduced them to the writer through his children's stories and they enjoyed these so much they were keen to explore his plays and writings for adults.

The Importance of Being Earnest, despite a sometimes-confusing plot, was embraced by the children because of its comic element.

As well as reading the play, they watched several different TV and film dramatisations of the story. Watching the same piece handled in different ways made them consider elements of the plot and structure that could be changed with each production.

Whenever possible, Mrs Carey likes to take the children to stage shows of the stories they are studying to experience them in a wide range of mediums.

In the calendar the pupils act out famous scenes from the play, from the dramatic to the ridiculous.

The school is lucky enough to have the whole island as a backdrop for the pictures. Settings include the White House Hotel, Belvoir Bay, the church and the gazebo in the Woodland Walk.

All the photographs were taken by Mrs Carey and enhanced beautifully by Emily Carey.

The calendar is sold to raise funds for next year. It is available from the school directly and makes a lovely Herm keepsake or gift.

Drama has always been used in the Herm school as a way of helping pupils to understand complicated literature. The appeal of this to children is summed up in the quote from Wilde that graces the front cover – 'I love acting. It is so much more real than life.'

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