Bishops Cannings School’s mural, designed by pupils, has been unveiled

A mural has been unveiled at the entrance to a primary school, designed by young pupils and the wider community.

The mural painted outside Bishops Cannings School, near Devizes in Wiltshire, features hand-drawn drawings by children aged between two and 11.

It was funded by the Aldhelm Mission Fund, as part of the Diocese of Salisbury, which supports missionary initiatives and worshiping communities in parishes and schools.

The inspiration for the picturesque scene came from the surrounding countryside, with the school’s Bible verse woven through the pastures.

“It’s absolutely beautiful to stand proud just walking into our school,” she said.

“It represents what we believe as a school and our community.”

The artist tasked with bringing the designs to life, Penny Chivers Stanley, said choosing which elements to include was a difficult process.

“The biggest challenge for me was when I got all the drawings from the kids,” she said.

“To get so many beautiful drawings and think ‘how do I take aspects of these and put them into one scene?’ It was hard.

“But it’s really wonderful to see it come to fruition and to see everyone feel this love for what a community has produced together.”

The mural can be seen from a distance as families and children make their way to the school gates.

“It’s so bright, so welcoming, so child-friendly,” Ms Chivers Stanley added.

“When you see something like that, it gives you an essence of what this school is about.”

Gill DeBerry, who represented the Aldhelm Mission Fund at the unveiling, said it was “an honour” to help the school realize its vision.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve funded a mural, so it was great to be able to do this,” she said.

“Here’s a mural that makes people think about love and Jesus when they get to school, which is what it’s all about.”