As a long time associate artist in residence at Washwood Heath Nursery School (WHNS) in Birmingham, I have been asked to facilitate a project looking at how clay might improve the learning experience for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The 10 day project will span the 2018/19 academic year and I am employed to engage the children and staff for three or four days each term.

As with all my clay adventures in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) documentation is key and an essential part of the project. Each week I observe the youngsters, photographing their interactions and recording notes.

Here are excerpts from my notes from the first session 7-11-18:

Having just a few SEN children to focus on is going to be really beneficial. I found in the past, in my enthusiasm trying to give all the children the best experience, all of the time, I ended up spreading myself too thinly. It’s going to brilliant just to focus on a few and do some real in-depth exploratory work and build some meaningful relationships. Great stuff and I’m genuinely excited to working in this way.

Had a quick briefing with ‘N’ and then set up on the clay table. ‘K’ kindly presented me a list of the children’s names and I spent a lovely morning identifying the children I’m working with and getting to know them one to one. In future weeks, I’m going to set up an activity on the table that the whole of nursery can access and then hone in on my SEN focus group, either at the table or in other parts of the nursery.

 ‘L’

Perfectly at home on the clay table and spent a good 30 minutes rolling flat slabs and using lolly-pop sticks to mark and prod the sheet of clay. Experimenting with the different sides and ends of the tool to create different marks, drawing straight and circular lines in the clay slab. Uses finger to slide/blend the clay onto the surface of the table. Good exploratory stuff and experimentation

When ‘L’ first sat down at the table, she used a rolling pin to lightly tap away at a dried clay pot, creating a layer of fine particles and dust on the board. She used her fingers to draw through the dust. I introduced a pinch pot with lid for her to contain her dust and broken bits of dried pot. Another child ‘H’ (great interpersonal skills) came and sat next to her at the table and ‘made’ together. – lovely! Holding hands and swapping the odd word or two.

‘L’ seems a happy soul, singing along to the children’s songs playing on the white board whist she works the clay. If you’re happy and you know it pat the clay! Enjoying counting to five as she helps to flatten the clay slab. When ‘L’ leaves the clay table she heads over to the carpet to play the drums and percussive instruments. Music  and rhythm is going to be a brilliant way to connect with the ‘L’….and probably the rest of the children too!

‘Z’

I went to find ‘Z’ in the classroom as he was somebody I hadn’t had opportunity to meet yet. I found him happily playing with his plastic dinosaurs. “Stegosaurus!”  I headed back to the clay table and grabbed a lump of clay and quickly made a T-rex in front of him. He was suitably impressed, disappeared and then returned with his own lump of clay to model (or to get me) to model another dino. He didn’t need too much persuasion to join me at the clay table for some more clay dinosaur modeling. “Make a stegosaurus out of clay” Loved the way he used a pencil to very carefully prod eyes into the dinosaurs head.  We somehow ended up with a two headed stegosaurus! At the end of the session “bye bye dinosaur”  on the way out he saw a small, life like plastic spider “spider”  became slightly obsessed and slightly frightened by the realistic toy. Maybe a starting point for next time?

There were only seven of them, but what they lacked in numbers they more than compensated with frivolity and laughter. We had so much fun!

They ladies appeared in Chesney Hawkes masks (a personal hero of bride to be George) and took to the wheels with enthusiasm, reveling in the comedic possibilities of centering the clay!

In amongst the hilarity the girls really got to grips with their technique with one of the more skeptical members at the start, thoroughly enjoyed herself commenting ‘That was great, I really really surprised myself”

The session concluded with the ladies treating us with a rousing rendition of Chesney Hawkes’ I am the one and only’ – a short clip can be found here. Everybody heralded the afternoon a resounding success.

If you are planning your wedding in 2019 and looking for a thoroughly creative and unique group activity, then why not book a session for your hen party. Take a look at our pottery hen party page and drop us a line admin@eastnorpottery.co.uk or tel 01531 633886 to check availability.

For the past seven weeks he’s been working on a single, ‘£100′ pot. Each visit is spent making a separate section on the wheel which is then joined to the one made the previous week.

Over seven weeks, the pot has grown organically and sprouted several handles and palm tree additions. The last couple of weeks have been spent painting the sculpture in coloured under glazes and slips. It emerged resplendent from the kiln a few weeks ago and we think it’s brill! Here’s a link to a short video showing the pot in all it’s 3D glory: Young man with aspergers makes amazing pottery

Boosted by the success, Leon is onto his next project – a ‘£200′ pot!

At the day comes to a close, we encourage participants to choose their favourite pieces to be fired and glazed.

The rejected ones are plucked from their boards and piled high in a collaborative tower before being wedged into a soft lump ready to be made into pots again and again and again!

#recycledclay #tomorrowspots

Our lovely community arts apprentices Aimme and Immy working with Sarah on the final touches of a stunning tile panel made by children, parents and staff at Washwood Heath Nursery School in Birmingham.

Although the practical sessions are of paramount importance and integral to our practice, it’s worth pointing out the value of preparation and after-care we attach to every project.

We reckon for every minute spent working with somebody hands-on, there is at least a minute of preparation and after-care.

This collaboration will be hung on the outside wall of the new Clover Lea Annex building designed for the provision of the under 2’s.

During the first part of the Autumn term we worked with the following schools, exploring a range of curricular themes and topics in clay.

‘Secret Garden’ inspired outdoor terracotta sculpture at Suckley Primary.

Whole school tile panel in the shape of school logo at Broadwas Primary.

Individual ‘Owl Babies’ with Nursery and YR R at Old Church Primary.

Potter’s wheel workshop with YR4 at Glascote Primary

‘Fire of London’ houses with YR2 at Woodands Infants.

Iron Age huts with YR4 at Finstall First School

Pinch pot Diwali lamps with KS1 at Leominster Primary.

Each year we welcome to the Pottery at least one or two YR10 students from local high schools, looking to experience what it’s like to be a creative practitioner. This year we were joined by Naima from Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School.

Naima packed kilns, wrapped customers work and helped with the day to day running of the studio. She approached her tasks with maturity and willingness enabling us to offer her more and more responsibility as the week progressed. The placement culminated with Naima coaching teachers and educationalists on how to use the potter’s wheel at an Artists in Education event in Birmingham!

Well done Naima and we look forward to seeing how your career in the creative industries develops.

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our small but perfectly formed creative business as a Community Arts Apprentice. You will be assisting in educational workshops in schools, community settings and here at the studio. You will be given full, on the job training in pottery techniques including the potter’s wheel, eventually being able to instruct our customers and workshop participants. The role will also require you to assist in a range of other duties including; helping with glazing, packing kilns, general office administration and gardening.

Both our previous apprentices have gone on to secure full time and part time employment with us having completed their one year apprenticeship.

Don’t delay – apply here!

The #stegosaurus has been bisque fired and dipped in glaze, awaiting to have it’s feet wiped before its packed into the kiln for a second glaze firing. All the ‘white stuff’ will melt at 1080 degrees to form a smooth glassy surface revealing green, terracotta and sandstone colours.

Bisque fired dinosaurs waiting to be glazed and fired.

Year 6 created the art work to remember local fallen heros from World War 2, each student making a tile, each student with an individual story to illustrate.

Here’s an example of the sort of thing the children were looking at – an inspiring tale of a WW2 pilot published in the Black Country Bugle in July 2004.