What does 300 years of history look like? For the pupils of Holy Trinity Primary School, it looks like a colourful, collaborative banner celebrating their school’s past, present and future.

Created as part of the school’s 300th anniversary celebrations, the artwork has brought together every pupil, artist Justine Miller and members of the wider local community, creating a lasting legacy for this important milestone.

Bringing the whole community together

Once the design was complete, the project moved into its next phase: bringing the artwork to life through stitching.

Members of the local community, including people with past and present connections to Holy Trinity, helped stitch the banner, some of those who had never stitched before, extending the project beyond the classroom and creating opportunities for different generations to work together.

Pupils were also invited to take part in the stitching process at The Maltings’ creative space at Hide Hill. This gave them the opportunity to see how their individual ideas and designs were transformed into a finished piece of artwork, while contributing directly to its creation.

The completed banner is now installed in the school’s new hall, where it will serve as a permanent reminder of the anniversary and the children and community members who helped make it possible.

Creativity, heritage and learning

Nicholas Shaw, Headteacher at Holy Trinity Primary School, said:

“Holy Trinity has greatly valued working with artist Justine Miller on our 300th anniversary art project. Justine led engaging creative sessions with every class, ensuring all children were involved in exploring this significant milestone. The pupils particularly enjoyed the hands-on nature of the sessions, relishing the opportunity to experiment with different techniques and create their own unique pieces of artwork.”

He added that the project helped children connect their learning about the school’s 300-year history with life at Holy Trinity today, while reflecting on its shared vision of nurturing inquisitive thinkers, challenge seekers and kind hearts.

A lasting legacy for the next generation

At its heart, the project is about more than marking an anniversary. It celebrates the power of creativity to connect people, bring local heritage to life and give children the opportunity to shape something meaningful for their community.

By bringing together pupils, staff, an artist and local residents, the banner connects Holy Trinity’s 300-year history with the generations who will carry its story forward.

It’s a fitting tribute to three centuries of learning, community and belonging — made by the people who are part of that story today.