Working with children and young people
Adrian Holt is a qualified teacher with 15 years’ experience working with pre-school, primary, secondary and special needs pupils. He has run ceramics projects since 1999. During this time he has worked in many different schools as well as other settings such as nurseries and holiday/after school clubs.
As an experienced teacher and practising ceramic artist, he has skills in working with clay and the ability to communicate these skills to pupils and teachers. He is familiar with the National Curriculum, the QCA scheme of work for art and design and an Early Years Foundation Stage.
The National Curriculum places a high priority on introducing children to artists and their art forms from an early age. At a time when demands on the curriculum are great, artistic opportunities can be affected.
Ceramics projects are not only an ideal way to support the delivery of the art curriculum but also provide many opportunities for enhancing cross-curricula work, for example, with healthy schools.
“Opportunities to work with professional artists in residence or to visit galleries and performances can have a profound influence on pupils, providing them with additional ideas and strategies to develop their own work. Such experiences have a positive impact on raising pupils’ levels of motivation, aspiration and achievement.”
‘Improving City Schools: how the arts can help’, Ofsted 2003
Planning a project for your school
When setting up a ceramics project, schools need to consider some key points and discuss them during the planning stage. Adrian Holt will support schools with this process, including:
Negotiating aims, objectives and outcomes of projects to meet the specific needs of the schoolDesigning tailor made projects to suit any key stage and group size, from small group to whole schoolProducing projects based on themes that link to other curriculum areas or as part of a school event, e.g. arts weeks, religious / cultural celebrationsImproving the physical environment of the schoolWorking with the school community, e.g. parental involvement in lessons, offering workshops, displaying pupils’ workEvaluating impact and outcomes
Benefits to schools
Not only can the physical appearance of the school be aesthetically improved, there are many ways that the whole school community can benefit from being involved in a ceramics project.
Ceramics projects offer children and young people plenty of opportunities to extend their learning in an enjoyable way, for example:
Exploring ideas, investigating and creating objects, and evaluating workDeveloping practical skills and experiencing different approaches to working with clay, e.g. coiling, slabbing, sculpting, decorating, using toolsPromoting the ability to relate to and work with others and to experience a shared sense of achievementDeveloping cross-curricula themes using ceramics as an opportunity to enhance other subject areasStaff, parents/carers and other members of the school community can also benefit being involved:
Participating in training workshops designed to meet the specific needs of the staff, e.g. developing skills and confidence in working with clayLearning from the experience of planning and working alongside an artistPromoting parent/carer involvement in the school and strengthening community links
“On behalf of the children, staff and parents, I’d like to thank you for making such an excellent contribution to our Health Week. You demonstrated lots of skill, patience and good humour. The children absolutely loved the work which you did with them.”
Head Teacher, The Grange Primary School, Runcorn, 2008
“In a successful school-wide sculpture project the pupils produced clay models of mini beasts, including snails; also tiles that reflected images from the school environment.”
OfSTED report on art, St. Raphael’s RC Primary School, Tameside, 2000
“I really enjoyed doing this, I liked using different tools to make patterns. I enjoyed it that much that I want to be a ceramic artist.”
“I think that this objective was really hard, but it was fun. Mr. Holt is a good teacher, he explains everything clearly.”
Year 6 pupil evaluations, Daresbury Primary School, Runcorn, 2008
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