by Dawn Foxall | Jan 8, 2025 | Articles, News, Research
STITCHING TOGETHER AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE
BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS TO TEXTILES EDUCATION
IN UK PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Published January 2025
This research was commissioned and produced by Textiles Skills Centre with a grant from ALL SAINTS EDUCATIONAL TRUST.
The survey and report were designed, collated, and written by Roy Ballam and Lynne Mason.
The research examines the current state of textiles education in UK primary schools, gathering feedback from 166 participating teachers. Insights span demographics, teaching roles, capabilities, resources, and barriers to delivering effective textiles lessons.
Using the recommendations from this research, the Textiles Skills Centre will develop resources and CPD training for Primary teachers in the UK.
Thank you to all those contributed.
Download the full report HERE: FINAL REPORT
by Dawn Foxall | Jan 8, 2025 | Articles, Events, News
WE ARE 10 YEARS OLD!!!
In June 2015 we held our first events for textiles teachers and since then run networking events and workshops nationally, bringing together teachers with a passion for textiles. We also started to manage the Textile Teachers Centre online community and built this amazing group, connecting teachers from all over the world.
Our original aim was to support textiles in schools and build a community which would help each other and we support with textiles specific CPD, networking groups and resources to both encourage and inspire teachers . Through textiles education, we want to build a better world together – empowering, educating and inspiring the next generation.
In the last 10 years we have
- Joining forces with the Food Teachers Centre, to run events in London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
- Hosted courses in schools to train over 1500 teachers
- Hosted 50+ online networking events with over 2000 attendees
- Developed 30+ different F2F workshops and CPD courses for both teachers, students and general public
- Since 2020 we have developed 40+ online courses
- We developed a Free Mentorship programme run by volunteers and which has mentored 100’s of teachers and technicians
- We have developed 100+ Free resources for teachers to download
- We set up our Youtube Channel which now holds 50+ videos for teachers to access
- Worked with various charities supporting in a variety of ways.
- With have work on curriculum advisory support with stakeholder groups and organisations
- We have engaged in and managed research projects considering textiles in education and published 2 reports used by curriculum influencers and stakeholders.
We will be celebrating with events, giveaways, competitions and a big In Person event in June this year, so watch this space for more news……….
by Dawn Foxall | Sep 30, 2024 | Articles, Competitions, News
This is a GREAT competition for your students!!
Let your students’ creativity bloom with the Wool4School 2025 competition. Get your class inspired by plant-life with this year’s competition theme: BOTANICALS.
Help your students to create a design that celebrates Merino wool and the enchanting world of plants, where you and your students could win a selection of amazing prizes on offer
Whether your students are inspired by fashion, accessories, or interior design, help them to explore nature’s artistry with Wool4School’s Botanicals theme.
Students can draw on the diversity of the plant kingdom with 1 – 4 designs made from at least 70% wool and get creative with shape, scale, colour, texture and textile
techniques from prints to embroidery and beyond.
TO REGISTER
FREE SUPPORT RESOURCES
THE PRIZES
by Dawn Foxall | Sep 16, 2024 | Articles, Charity Work, News
Textiles Skills Centre has linked with Epsom and St Helier hospitals charity to make calico dolls, for Children’s wards.
Our first donations have arrived in the children’s ward, thanks to our amazing teachers who have started to make the calico dolls and to Nicky, who has made some sensory squares for babies in ICU, worn initially by their parents, so the babies recognise the smell and are comforted.
Thanks to DRYAD Education for their fabric donation.
The nurses send a huge thank-you, they were so pleased, and added they were really impressed with the sewing!
More info on getting involved go to: CHARITY DOLLS
by Dawn Foxall | Aug 17, 2024 | Articles, News
MAKE A DOLL FOR CHARITY!
Textiles Skills Centre has linked with Epsom and St Helier hospitals charity to make calico dolls, for Children’s wards.
The Hospital Children’s Ward are looking for volunteers to help them make some Calico Dolls for children spending time in hospital.
The dolls serve as a means of expression. By drawing, decorating, and coloring the doll, the child can convey their fears or unhappiness, providing a distraction from their hospital stay.
Additionally, the child can indicate their injury or pain on the doll, facilitating more objective discussions with adults about their concerns. NHS staff also use the doll to demonstrate procedures, helping the child understand what to expect and reducing their fear and uncertainty. This often enables even very young children, as young as 2 or 3 years old, to undergo medical procedures more calmly.
This is a great project for after School Clubs, if you are running one. Each school receives a certificate. If you’d like more info and a pattern please contact nicky@textileskillscentre.com
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to BERNIE TRODDEN who is the first volunteer to make 10 dolls
