About the project...

Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) programme 
Generously funded by Sir John Cass's Foundation

Pupil referral units are schools that provide education for children who, because of illness, exclusion or otherwise, are unable to attend a mainstream school.

This programme began in 2006 and used creative arts to open up new opportunities for students from pupil referral units in Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Newham to engage in the heritage of the Tower.

Students from Porlock Hall PRU worked with photographer Tom Wichelow on the Dark Tower project.

The young people's photographic examination of the Tower took two forms. They worked first as a group with a professional medium format camera to make careful studies of the building. They made photographs that explored the darker symbolism of the place.

They then also worked individually using disposable cameras. The young people were asked to use these cameras to look carefully at what surrounded them and record their lives in the boroughs that ring the Tower.

Above: Photograph from Porlock Hall PRU's Dark Tower exhibition.

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