Staff and pupils at Downe Primary School have celebrated their school being featured in a breathtaking stained-glass window designed for their local church. School staff, pupils, and their families were invited to St Mary’s Church for the window’s installation and dedication service, where the artist talked through his inspiration behind the design.
The window, crafted by renowned stained glass artist David Griffiths, is dedicated to the concept of Service across various forms, and will form a shining testament to the collaborative spirit between Downe Primary School and their local community.
The window features the vibrant playground at Downe Primary School, symbolizing the bond between the young people of the community and the local church. The playground also represents Downe Primary School’s commitment to Service through educating and developing the next generation for the local community.
The window also pays homage to Downe’s most celebrated resident, Charles Darwin, as well as featuring motifs on local wildlife and transportation.
In the buildup to the window’s installation, children from Downe Primary School were even invited to the stained-glass window factory, next to Canterbury Cathedral to see the window in production as well as touring the Cathedral.
Downe Primary School is a member of The Pioneer Academy Trust,
Reverend John Musson said:
“The stained-glass window was commissioned in memory of James Kenneth Roe of Petleys to celebrate the village of Downe and its community’s commitment to provide supportive ‘Service’ locally, nationally and internationally.”
Rebecca Dolan, Principal at Downe Primary School, said:
“We take immense pride in being featured on this magnificent stained-glass window. It is humbling to think that Downe Primary School will be memorialised in St Mary’s Church in this way, and we will always value our connection to the church.
We truly treasure our links to our local community and take our responsibility of developing the young people of Downe incredibly seriously. The window will serve as a lasting reminder of the importance of the partnership between school and community.
“The children loved having the opportunity to visit the glass factory and see the work taking place, and they were so excited to see the window being installed in the church. This way they know that whenever they visit St Mary’s Church, they’ll see their school represented, and they’re thrilled about that.”
