Amber Education Update: Photographing Community Heritage

This term, we’ve been working in residency with New York Primary School as part of our Primary Source Programme, connecting children with the stories of their community through photography. We believe in the power of the camera to spark confidence, connection and creativity. Rooted in arts-based learning and designed to be curriculum-linked, two of our recent projects have brought these values to life. Year 5 explored the history of the North Shields Fish Quay, while Year 4 embarked on a Viking-inspired photographic journey at the historic Jarrow Hall.

Fish Quay in Focus: Year 5

On a sunny day in May, Year 5 pupils set off with cameras in hand, ready to capture the ever-evolving North Shields Fish Quay. This visit was the culmination of weeks of project-based learning, centred on the local fishing industry, community memory and heritage.

To prepare for their visit, Year 5 participated in an enriching Community Day, learning from historians, photographers, and fishermen who hold a deep knowledge of the local fishing industry. This event brought experts and photographic archives directly to the pupils. From Victorian maps to the work of Edgar Lee and Nick Hedges in the AmberSide Collection, they explored how the Fish Quay has evolved across generations. Conversations with former fishermen, conservationists and professional photographers offered the pupils various perspectives on the past and present of the quay. A selection of our avid Year 5 photographers used their new camera skills to document this event, putting their learning into practice ahead of their photowalk along the quay.

The Fish Quay exploration gave pupils the chance to see their local area with new eyes. Guided by teachers, photographers and historians, they visited boatyards, freezer stores and sculpture sites. They met shop owners, members of heritage groups, and people from the community enjoying a chippy lunch and were more than happy to have their portraits taken. With each photograph, Year 5 captured not just people and places, but a living history still unfolding.

The children demonstrated their developing photography skills throughout the day, presenting a fresh interpretation of working life and recreation on the quay. We are so impressed by our budding photographers, who treated their kit with care and represented their school with pride. Their creative exploration and high-quality output speak volumes. Each pupil’s work shines with its own unique photographic voice. They don’t realise how good they are!

We hope these projects will continue to build confidence, storytelling and curiosity about the past, present and future of the local area. We’re looking forward to hosting an exhibition to share their photographs with parents, carers and the local community in the coming months.

In the footsteps of Vikings: Year 4 at Jarrow Hall

Meanwhile, Year 4 pupils took their own journey back in time at Jarrow Hall. Exploring the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village and farm, the children used photography to document their experience. This project brought the Viking invasion to life through the camera lens. Pupils discovered how landscape shapes history, tracing imagined raiding routes along the River Don. Their photographs captured the quiet details of our local heritage; the textures of stone walls and the shadows cast by ancient buildings. 

During their visit to Jarrow Hall, Year 4 were focused, passionate and wonderfully engaged throughout. As with Year 5, each Year 4 pupil brought their own unique approach to capturing their surroundings. The result was a beautifully curated exhibition that showcased each pupil’s natural talent. It’s so unique to see the world through a young person’s eyes. We are so incredibly proud of their hard work.

To celebrate the incredible work of Year 4 pupils, we held an in-school exhibition and celebration assembly. Parents and carers were invited to view the photographs, take part in Viking-themed activities, and see the pupils’ classwork in all its glory. This event supported our aim of intergenerational engagement, bringing families into the creative process and recognising the academic and practical achievements of the pupils.

 As with all our education work, photography was just the beginning. These projects encouraged pupils to observe, to question, and to see their own potential reflected in the work they produced. From the bustling Fish Quay to the echoes of Jarrow Hall, these pupils are not only learning about history, but they’re also helping to document it for the future. The strength of their work speaks for itself. We are so proud of every single one of them. They’re a credit to New York Primary School.

Made Possible by Many

Successful heritage-based learning projects like these rely on co-creation and months of preparation. The staff at New York Primary School consistently go above and beyond to help us deliver and make space for long-form, arts-based projects like this one. For that, we’re incredibly grateful.

We also extend our thanks to the local heritage groups, photographers and historians who make this work possible. Their time, expertise and commitment are central to our aim of delivering meaningful, inclusive and accessible projects across the region. Our delivery, community outings and ever-growing pool of knowledge about the local area would not be as enriched without them. Thank you to you all!