Hi, my name is Christine and I run the Art Room.
I used to work as a primary school teacher and now I specialise in supporting schools to teach art and DT.
This is usually carried out as part of a whole school inset session, where I can target a few key areas of improvement. Another very valuable part of my job is the one-off workshops I offer.
These allow children to learn a new and exciting craft. I am always on the lookout for new crafts to offer, but at the minute I teach willow weaving, felt making, paper making and mosaics. 
Each one can be adapted for children in foundation, key stage 1 and key stage 2. I have also visited a few special schools and run workshops specifically tailored to their needs. Many schools link their projects to their topic work, art week or leavers projects.
To find out more, here is a bit of information about each one.
Willow Weaving
There are two willow weaving workshops which I offer; living willow and dried willow. When the willow is fresh (from January to March) I can work with the children to plant willow to form a den or tunnel. During the spring and summertime, the willow will grow and you will have a lovely new feature as part of your school grounds. To make a willow sculpture out of dried willow can be timetabled at any point throughout the year. I have worked with many schools in the past, making willow wreaths at Christmas time, weaving crosses to celebrate Easter and designing trees and other logos for Year 6 leavers projects. Many schools timetable a number of classes throughout the day, so lots of children can get the chance to take part.
Wet Felting
Wet felting is a great craft to involve the whole school. Using merino wool, it is possible to design and make a picture of almost anything. Also, my workshops can be adapted for children in foundation up to year 6. There is even the opportunity for the work to be sewn into a wall hanging for you to display in school. Past projects include investigating the seasons, landscapes, oceans, nature and characters from books.
Paper Making
Learning to make recycled paper is a fantastic way to instal an understanding of the importance of recycling. In this workshop the children make their own recycled paper and decorate it according to the topic; this could be learning about the rainforest or a cross-curricular link such as Remembrance Day or Christmas.
Mosaics
Creating a mosaic is a great way to mark a special occasion at your school. I can work with you and the children to plan, design and make a mosaic. This could be to represent your school values or simply to brighten up an area in your school. If your children are learning about the Romans, I even have a special mosaic workshop linked to the topic, where the children can make a Roman numeral out of mosaic tiles.
Art and DT inset
In addition, I also offer inset sessions, where I will help your staff master teaching art and DT and show them lots of new skills which they can use in the classroom. The inset sessions are very practical and alongside doing some painting and drawing during the class, staff will identify the key skills to teach art successfully. All resources are included in the session.
Well-being Inset
My latest, and what I expect is going to become one of my most popular sessions, is the willow weaving inset class. Here, staff will learn how to weave with willow and will make their own willow creation to take home. The most popular things to make are hearts, stars and bird feeders.
To get in touch, fill out the contact form on my website: www.art-room.co.uk/contact or take a look at my latest updates on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
