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 | Nov 10, 2024 | Articles, News, Research
DfE CALL FOR EVIDENCE
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT REVIEW
DEADLINE 22nd NOVEMBER 2024
The government’s call for evidence invites US ALL to submit proposals on improving the current curriculum and assessment system.
This is the moment to have your say! – Complete the survey and save your subject and job!
The aim of the government survey is to review the current curriculum (both D&T and Art & Design)
We are encouraging teachers to contribute to the DfE’s request for evidence for this Curriculum Review. The more we shout about textiles the more likely they will listen!
The deadline is NOVEMBER 22nd so this needs to be done in next couple of weeks. You don’t need to answer all the questions as there are LOADS!!, just select a couple you can give evidence for.
We have done a bit of sorting through ourselves and created a quick answer/ideas document you might want to use as suggestions of what to write.
NB – YOU ONLY NEED ANSWER THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR!
This is not about rewriting the curriculum; it’s about reviewing and refining the current offer. It’s an opportunity for us to get those changes made we have all been moaning about;)
They need evidence so, when answering the questions, please provide specific examples and evidence to illustrate and support your responses.
YOU CAN FIND THE FULL ONLINE SURVEY HERE
For PDF version of questions click HERE
REMEMBER YOU DON’T NEED TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS JUST THOSE YOU HAVE EVIDENCE FOR.
We have read the whole survey and selected relevant questions and added a few suggestions for answers – our suggestions may be similar to your comments/ideas, so all you need to do is add these with evidence.
Click here to see our suggestions: TSC SUGGESTIONS
Evidence can include anything curriculum related from issues arising in your school such as moving from D&T to Art & Design Textiles, to examples of where the curriculum has disadvantaged pupils over others.
We all need to contribute if we want to ensure textiles stays in the curriculum, so please do respond, even if you only answer one question🙂
Thank you in anticipation of your support 🙂
Dawn, Nicky and the TSC Associates
by Dawn Foxall | Mar 13, 2024 | Articles, News
7 MARCH 2024
The survey and report were designed, collated, and written by Dawn Foxall and Roy Ballam.
Unravelling the fabric of Textiles Education – Where Next?
As the landscape of education continues to evolve, the Textiles Skills Centre unveils its latest report, Unravelling the Fabric of Textiles Education – Where next? shedding light on the current status and potential future direction of textiles education in schools.
Since 2014, textiles education has primarily been taught within Design and Technology (D&T) in the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 3. However, recent trends indicate a shift towards teaching textiles through Art & Design, and more generally there have been raising concerns about the diminishing status of textiles education.
Through research encompassing expert groups, surveys, and stakeholder engagement, the Textiles Skills Centre sought to gauge the pulse of textiles education. Key findings reveal a demand for updated subject content, clearer progression pathways, and a reinvigorated promotion of the value of textiles education.
To read the full report:
FULL REPORT
What’s happening now?
- Primary school pupils get around 30 hours of textiles education over six years.
- Secondary schools allocate 53 hours (on average) for textiles over Key Stage 3.
- Pupils express a keen interest in textiles lessons and desire more engagement.
- There a change happening at GCSE level, with a shift from D&T to Art & Design.
What would teachers and pupils like in the future?
- Keep textiles in D&T at Key Stage 1 to 3.
- Update subject content, delivery, and timetabling, showing clear progression.
- Make textiles at GCSE more relevant and specific.
- Define and promote the value of textiles education.
Recommendations for the future
Based on the work with schools, as well as discussions with experts, the Textiles Skills Centre recommends:
- Conduct a deep dive into primary textiles: Gather information on the teaching of textiles at KS1 and 2 in UK primary schools.
- Consult on secondary content and teaching approaches: With the textiles teaching community, seek to outline core content for textiles, with assessment strategies, appropriate teaching strategies, and the strengths and weaknesses of different timetabling models.
- Develop a clear understanding of textiles education: With a cross-section of stakeholders, develop a clear understanding of the rationale, purpose, and content of textiles education. Showcase what it comprises, showing breadth of coverage, with pedagogical, technological, cultural and sustainability aspects.
- Discuss GCSE options: Teacher feedback and pupil voice should be acknowledged, with the acceptance of the practical challenges ahead of any change. Any GCSE offer, whether changes to current specifications or development of new specifications, needs to be discussed with all stakeholders, including Awarding Organisations, higher education, and employers.
- Ensure teacher subject knowledge: Based on having a clear understanding of textiles education from 5-16 years (see recommendation 3), CPD needs to be offered to support primary and secondary teachers embracing any change, as well as being competent with subject content.
- Promote textiles education: Develop a promotional campaign to highlight the rationale, benefits, and value of textiles education in schools.
Dawn Foxall, Founder of the Textiles Skills Centre said:
“It is without doubt that if we lose textiles as a subject in our schools, we lose life skills we didn’t know we needed. We lose the ability to create, make and discover the techniques required to make something unique; make mistakes and realise new methods and ideas; practice fine motor skills and dexterity needed for sewing up a wound or working with fine tools; applications of maths and science to develop new fibres and fabrics to support sports, medicine and space; the patience and persistence to follow a project through to an end product; an undeniable aid to supporting mental health; understanding climate change and the circular economy; the need to reduce the amount of textiles going to landfill (300,000 tonnes per year in the UK), by becoming more confident in repair, recycle and reuse of clothing and textile items… We can’t lose textiles in our education system.”
Unravelling the Fabric of Textiles Education – Where Next? presents a roadmap for revitalizing textiles education, ensuring its continued relevance and prominence in the UK educational landscape.
The Textiles Skills Centre would like to thank the All Saints Educational Trust for the educational grant to undertake this work.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Dawn Foxall, Founder, Textiles Skills Centre info@textileskillscentre.com
by Dawn Foxall | Jan 23, 2024
TEA ‘N CHAT – Future of Textiles Education Research Findings
An update on the findings of research undertaken by TSC into the current situation of textiles in the curriculum and future opportunities.
12 MARCH 2024
TIME: 7-8pm
FREE EVENT
REGISTER HERE
As you may be aware and even contributed to, the research we have been undertaking to better understand the current position and teaching of textiles education now, from time-tabling to subject content, as well as what you think needs to happen to ensure its place in a future curriculum.
This session is to show the results of the research which was took place through surveys, focus groups and talking with individuals and organisations, and give you another opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
The research was about obtaining a baseline of what is happening now, and what changes may be needed in the future. Your opinion and reflections are important to help us inform government, awarding organisations, professional associations and teacher trainers.
There are some big questions. If all young people are to get an opportunity to learn about textiles, how should schools plan and implement this? Textiles has been part of Design and Technology since the start of the National Curriculum in the 1990s; should it remain as part of this subject? Should it stand outside of D&T? Would textiles be better served if it sat with Art?
There are strengths and weaknesses in the different positions and plans that might be adopted by schools. But what will lead to a strong position for textiles education?
This session is to show the results of the research and give you another opportunity to contribute to the discussion.
RESEARCH LEAD: ROY BALLAM BA (Hons), MA, School Education Consultant
Roy Ballam works as a school education consultant, after leaving a leading charity as Managing Director and Head of Education.
He has been involved in numerous teaching and education programme, initiatives and publications, including those in the UK and internationally.
He is an experienced educational leader specialising in education management, training, resource development and research, and policy development and implementation. Throughout his career, he has used ICT to help bring subject-specific learning to life and support teachers through innovative, but pragmatic approaches. Roy originally trained as a food and textiles teacher and has been a GCSE moderator and A-level principal examiner.
The Textiles Skills Centre Associates are a team of volunteers that manage the social media platforms and website, and offer support, mentorship and advice to textile teachers and trainees. We organise free resource networking events each month (Tea ‘N Chat) and are always on hand to help and encourage when needed.
We are always looking for new Associate members, so if you would like to join this small team then do contact us at: info@textileskillscentre.com
At the moment all costs are met by our team and time is given freely. If you are able to support us with a donation, however small, this will help to enhance the work we are doing.
You can donate using the DONATION button below which will take you to the Paypal donations page, or select an amount when you book the event. All donations gratefully received.
DONATION
