Teachers and Students alike reflected on their hopes for a new school year in skill-based workshops with artist educator Christina Rose Brown.  

As the school celebrates the year of the Jubilee, they were joined by Christina in a series of workshops with the aim to express their feelings about the Jubilee visually. This ambition for creative expression was shared intergenerationally across the school, and both teachers and students took part in the project. 

Christina first led a CPD (Continued Professional Development) session for the teachers. In this session, teachers explored the wet felting and embroidery techniques that would be introduced to the students in later workshops. With the chance to gain confidence with the felting process and explore their own thoughts and feelings creatively ahead of the student sessions, the teachers were well prepared to support their students. 

Across three days of workshops, the Year Five and Year Six pupils at the school tried their hand at felting. Like the teachers, they were tasked by Christina to use wet felting and embroidery techniques to create a final textile piece that conveys an idea or feeling.  

With these sessions Christina incorporated creative learning into this schoolwide celebration. The students similarly reflected on their hopes for the transition into a new school year, or to secondary school for Year Six. They thought about the use of colour, shape and texture in the creation of the final pieces which will be displayed in the school or taken by Year Six into their new chapter.  

As a result of this project, the school community at St Joseph’s now share a collective understanding of processes and techniques that they wouldn’t ordinarily use at school. Both students and staff were able to share in the enjoyment of learning and creativity. At Bow Arts we tailored all our projects to the priorities and aims of the school community – and student and teacher sessions do not have to stand alone. 

In skills development projects like this one our artists will work with students to develop skills, techniques and understanding of a specific artform.  

Skills based programmes and Teacher CPD training can be used in tandem to explore topics to enhance subjects and support cross-curricular learning across the wider school.  

You can find out more about the exciting ways Bow Arts could work with your school here.

Inspired by this project? Get in touch with our learning team at learning@bowarts.com to find out what’s possible together!