Pupils at The Beacon Primary School learned about the Jurassic Coast with Fossil Fun

Fossil fun was had by The Beacon Primary School pupils when they learned about the importance of the World Heritage Site and Jurassic Coast.

Artist Philip Anslow’s Fossil Fun workshop aims to bring geology, history and art together with hands-on fun for the youngsters.

During his visit the pupils were shown how to make designs in stone and how latex moulds and plaster casts of fossils were made.

Mr Anslow, who features on the DepARTure Arts database for schools in Dorset, said pupils enjoy seeing authentic fossils and hand-made ones.

He said: “Each workshop starts with a talk to the children giving an outline of why we were given World Heritage Status and where the Jurassic Coast is.

“I ask them questions such as what was the climate like then, was sea level higher or lower than today?

“I use a map of the continents as they were during the Mesozoic era and large scale drawings of ichthyosaurs, pliosaurs and plesiosaurs to set the scene of the Jurassic period.

“After the talk, I show the children how I make the designs in stone, why I take latex moulds from them and how to make the plaster moulds which they will paint later.”