GMCA 'Drawn to You' Competition

Drawn to You Competition

Capturing the voice of young children by asking them to draw a picture of their Teacher, Keyworker, or Childminder and describing what they love about them.

 

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) are writing to all nurseries and childminders in Greater Manchester to ask them to get involved with the GMCA Workforce Campaign: Early Education and Childcare through their ‘Drawn To You’ competition. 

 

What is the 'Drawn to You' competition? 

The GMCA would like to capture the voice of young children by asking them to draw a picture of their Teacher, Keyworker, Childminder and tell them what they love about them. It might be their hugs, patience, love of reading or playing together! 

Alternatively, GMCA would love to see photos of children with their Teacher, Keyworker, Childminder and 3 key words to describe them. 

You are welcome to involve parents as a home learning activity or complete the activity with children in the setting. 

As the GMCA workforce campaign (linked above) runs until September 2025, entries to this competetion may be selected to feature in adverts and other campaign assets across Greater Manchester. This might include digital billboards at the Trafford Centre or adverts on our public transport network! 

 

The Prize

One setting from each local authority area will be chosen to receive some fun learning goodies from Green Bean Studios, the Manchester-based children's IP entertainment brand.

Green Bean Studios is a multi-award-winning brand that includes the Green Bean Collection, a retail line of collectable books, ECO toys, games, and outdoor products for children. Founded by multi-award-winning author and entrepreneur Anita Frost, Green Bean Studios is built on over 20 years of professional experience in child development, innovation, and business. Their mission is to inspire a lifelong love of play, learning, and outdoor adventure in children, helping them to thrive.

 

How will the GMCA use the drawings?

GMCA would like to display the drawings in a number of ways in an exhibition hosted by Manchester Art Gallery in June ’25. This may include enlarging drawings or using them in a collage to create a larger piece. They’ll also be looking to use some of the drawings in later stages in the digital aspect of our campaign. Please indicate how you would like your submission to be used on the consent form. 

 

Who can compete in the competition?

All children from ages 0-5 can enter, as long as they attend a nursery setting (school nursery, maintained nursery, PVI or a Childminder in Greater Manchester). Greater Manchester includes the following local authority areas: 

  • Bolton
  • Bury 
  • Manchester
  • Oldham
  • Rochdale
  • Salford
  • Stockport
  • Tameside
  • Trafford
  • Wigan 

 

How to submit entries?

Settings should post submissions and consent forms to School Readiness Programme, Tootal Buildings, 1st Floor, 56 Oxford Road, M1 6EU or scan and send via email hannah.rowan@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk (School Readiness Project Officer).

You will need:

Please send your entries by the 12th May 2025.

 

Competition Brief by the GMCA

Suggested plan for settings:

What we need to create impact is some really bold drawings. We understand that very young children are just learning how to mark make and draw, so no pressure to produce the Mona Lisa! This is a celebration of children’s creativity and their attachment to you as their inspirational adults. 

 

You could start by:

  • Asking the children what a portrait is? e.g., a picture of a person, a face.
  • Talk about what makes up a face, e.g., what features do we find on a face. 
  • Sing heads, shoulders, knees and toes…and mouth and ears and eyes and nose… https://youtu.be/S2eRNzsAZg4  
  • You could watch this video from the National Gallery, explaining what a portrait is: https://youtu.be/RFek8WOryDU
  • Show the children the Manchester Art Gallery portraits and discuss some of the prompts below each painting.

You know your children best, so please do explore other ways to get them to think about what you look like. 

 

If possible we would like the children to try out 2 different ways of drawing a portrait:

  1. Black pen on white card with a mix of thin and thick pens (Try and get them to use the whole page, the bigger the images the better).
  2. White or coloured oil pastel on black card (these can be used to create a vibrant display. Again the bigger the better!).

We have included two templates that you’re welcome to print and use, these are entirely optional.

 

Sending back to us:

On each drawing please ensure it includes the following information:

  • First name of the child
  • Age
  • Name of Teacher, Keyworker, Childminder
  • 1-3 words to describe them or what they love about them

Please send them over to School Readiness Programme, Tootal Buildings, 1st Floor, 56 Oxford Road, M1 6EU or scan and send via email hannah.rowan@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk (School Readiness Project Officer).

 

Suggested materials to use

 

 

'Lesson' Prompts for Settings (Questions and prompts)

 

GMCA Drawn to You Competition

Portrait of an unknown model Amedeo Modigliani 1918 (circa)

  • What shapes can you see?
  • What shape are her eyes?
  • What shape is her head?
  • What is bigger?
  • Her head or her eyes?
  • Can you draw a BIG oval or circle to start your portrait?

 

 

GMCA Drawn to You CompetitionGirl with Beret Lucian Freud 1951

  • What is this person wearing?
  • Does your keyworker wear any jewellery or special clothing?
  • What hairstyle do they have?
  • Curly, straight, short or long? 

 

 

GMCA Drawn to You CompetitionUntitled 1986 Keith Piper 1986

  • What features can you see on this face?  
  • Look carefully at your keyworkers face and the shapes of their eyes, nose, mouth and ears…
  • Don’t forget to draw eyelashes!

 

 

 

GMCA Drawn to You CompetitionHead of Desmond Haughton 1991

  • What do you think this man is thinking? 
  • How does he feel? Happy? Sad? Tired? Thoughtful?
  • how would you draw your key worker?
  • Do they always have a big smile? 

 

 

 

 

 

Published: 25th March 2025