THREE vividly-coloured mosaics have been created by a team of students to spruce up the front entrance of their school in Rochford.

The ten A-level art students chopped up tiles and placed them in intricate patterns to give the entrance to King Edmund School a facelift.

The swirl of greens, yellows and oranges were divided into three categories to represent learning.

The first was creative arts, music and drama, and used piano keys and music notes to capture the theme.

The middle block represented the tree of learning and used Roman numerals.

The final piece focused on sports and activity, and pictured a man tackling giant waves in a boat.

Art teacher Jean-Anne Kiely said: "I thought the front entrance needed a big piece of artwork as you come in the door.

"The kids came up with this themselves, three big blocks with the theme the movement of education that comes with learning."

Paul Siggins, from the Mosaic Studio, based in Darlinghurst Grove, Leigh, came into the school to help the students.

He gave them hints on technique before they made up the mosaics on to a paper base, which will then be framed and hung at the school on Monday. Mrs Kiely said: "They absolutely loved it.

"We were going to do it with a younger group, but they heard of it and they were absolutely delighted.

"They only had two days to do it, so it wouldn't interrupt lessons.

"They designed it and then had to break up ceramic pieces.

"It's harder than it looks. They were working from a small design and it ends up quite big so they had to envisage it on a much larger scale.

"They had to wear goggles because of the shrapnel from the ceramics and used special tile cutters.

"One of the kids' dads was a stone mason and so he took to it really well."

The Mosaic Studio offers one and two-day courses on mosaic tuition.

To find out more, call 01702 712111 or visit www.themosaicstudio.com