Clay Workshops

An exciting project run by Yarm Preparatory School and seven local primary schools in the Teesside area to engage and develop creativity and artistic skills through the medium of clay. 

Aims

To provide children with specialist teaching and equipment to make a clay model, led by our Artist-in-Residence and our Art Lead.

To provide professional development opportunities to class teachers.

Background

The project was led by our Artist-in-Residence and our Art Lead. They would visit a class in one of our partnership schools, leading a day of clay modelling and giving each child the opportunity to design and make something to take home at the end of the day.

The key aim was to meet a need among local schools for a specialist art teacher to provide opportunities for children to use a medium they would not normally use, providing an opportunity for them to be creative, learn something new and build resilience if/when things did not go to plan.

Resources

We provided the teachers to lead the session, with the local primaries providing in-class support with a class teacher and TA, for whom it would also provide a CPD opportunity. The workshops took place at each local school, catering for one class at a time over the course of a day (four hours per class in total). We also provided the clay and other materials needed for the workshops.

Time commitment from staff was a total of five hours per session (seven sessions in total), as well as a supply teacher to cover any teaching commitment at school.

Impact

Improved confidence and enjoyment in pupils when taking part in arts and crafts activities. “Children were able to learn and apply new skills and consolidate others” - Teacher, The Glebe Primary.

Sharing of resources previously not used or available. “The children had the opportunity to access a wider range of resources that we do not have in school - which was brilliant for them” - Teacher, Layfield Primary.

Improved resilience, as noted by a teacher at Kirklevington Primary: “This was a good lesson on resilience for the children, when some of their decorations broke when being removed from the cutter moulds.”

Increased motivation levels among the children taking part. “The children were delighted to produce something that was high quality and they could feel proud of.” - Teacher, Carlton and Faceby Primary.

Knowledge and expertise shared by our teachers with local primary school teachers, who were appreciative of the support received, which doubled up as CPD. “I got to learn and use new techniques, as well as some new ideas we can use here in future.” - Teacher, Layfield Primary.

Pupil Involvement

Eight classes from seven primary schools (average of 25 per class) took part in the sessions. Ages ranged from Year 1 to Year 6. Total of 200 across all schools.

Frequency

Weekly during the Spring term.