From their website:
“Interest in ceramics education is dwindling: our response is a national clay programme to ‘refire’ kilns in schools and inspire learners. About the programme
Firing Up is a new national programme of highlighting clay and ceramics. The initiative has been development by the Crafts Council through a steering committee of representatives from NALN, NSEAD, University of the Arts (London), Clayground Collective and Ofsted. The core elements have been designed to:
1. Raise awareness of the importance of clay in our everyday lives and in world cultures;
2. Support schools in using this medium creatively and confidently, and in optimising its educational value for students and creating sustainable local links;
3. Showcase and exhibit the work of young people; and
4. Demonstrate the links between clay-work and the wider creative industry sector showing that working in ceramics is a viable career choice.
The programme uses a ‘cluster’ format that will be constructed around the ceramics departments within partner Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Each regional cluster will consist of one HEI who will supply a ceramics ‘ambassador’ (usually the ceramics course leader), a technician and up to ten students, and five secondary schools.
It includes the following core elements:
• ‘Kiln Rehab’ – the rejuvenation of clay facilities in participant schools, supported by the expertise of ceramic –specialist staff from partner HEIs.
• ‘Clay Skills Training’ – twilight CPD for cluster teachers to build confidence and expertise using clay in the classroom.
• ‘Project Clay’ – an innovative creative workshop programme designed by Clayground Collective and delivered by local practitioners to enthuse and inspire the school community through a collaborative project.
Each phase of the programme has been carefully designed to support and inspire schools in using this magical material confidently and creatively with their pupils, in as broad a way as possible. In particular, we hope that through the building of sustainable relationships with HEIs and local schools, as ‘critical friends’, schools will feel inspired to take risks and enlarge upon the scope of the medium in a cross-curricular dimension as part of a creative curriculum.
Firing Up is generously supported by a 3 year grant from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.”Please visit the UK Craft Council’s website for more info.