This page is for schools who are using Petit, and perhaps our publications or website, in the classroom. Currently, 2022, volunteers are exploring setting up a Petit Art and Design School on-line to offer a range of course and materials not just for schools but for all interested in improving their skills, using as inspiration J L Petit’s progressive plus traditional philosophy.
A number of schools, by no means only in Staffordshire, are starting to use Petit in the classroom. The Petit Society welcomes and supports all schools who want to join in.
Petit’s work provides a basis for Art, local History, Geography and architectural appreciation projects.
So far it is being used in secondary schools, from KS3 to A level, and one special needs school. Soon we hope a primary school will use it in their year 5 and 6.
The spot where this picture was done is easily located…. and is completely different now….Petit had lots to say about the Cathedral building, which is unchanged
“ Petit’s Tours of Old Staffordshire by Phillip Modiano is a beautifully presented book which is an excellent addition to our Art section here at King Edward VI School Library Resource Centre. The Lichfield links, make it is highly relevant to local studies and has been used by the Geography department to support Key Stage 5, but is accessible for lower down the school too. I can see potential use for the History dept, especially in conjunction with the wider work which Philip is planning. This cross-curricular resource, by a knowable and passionate author is highly recommended.” Mrs Emery, Librarian, King Edward Vi School Lichfield
Since 2020-21 academic year, we have run a programme to encourage schools to use Petit. It got off to a great start. As a proportion of the total number of schools that might participate, many thousands, the number who have so far is still tiny; but the important thing is that students obviously enjoyed studying aspects of Petit in Geography, Art and History. It confirmed our view that as a progressive, gentle but firm, opponent of prevailing orthodoxy, younger people can find a lot of interest in what he achieved.
Some recent results from art students in Lichfield are shown below. And a winning essay of the Junior Historian Essay Prize is posted in full on this link.
The Petit Society:
- offers a free copy of the book Petit’s Tours of Old Staffordshire to secondary schools, not only in Staffordshire. While there is more relevance in Staffs, Wolverhampton and the adjacent parts of the counties Derbyshire and Shropshire, where there are pictures, the ideas, introductory and biography sections are relevant everywhere and we will send images of local pictures to other schools.
- offers a whole classroom worth of books at reduced prices
- has sponsored an essay prize for Young Historians from 2021,
- will sponsor an event for young artists for Petit inspired pictures when there is sufficient demand
- supports individual school activities
Contact enquiries@revpetit.com if you would like to participate. We especially would like to get some pilot primary schools started. Later we will host a blog post for schools here…