A sad day for Textiles in Schools.....

[creativeclare]

Hi Folks,

I work at a local Secondary School and we were told this week that textiles (or fabric craft as the Head called it!) will be axed from the curriculum as of this September.

I`m really gutted about it. I had such a wonderful textiles and dressmaking tutor at School (we`re going back a few years!) who inspired me and lit a flame which has been with me ever since.

My collegue is likely to be made redundant (possibly me too but can offer another subject) and what annoys me is that not everyone is good at Maths, Geog Science etc. What about the kids who are good with their hands.....how are they supposed to show their talents?



Really upset about it actually. :mad:


C.

[beadsbydesign]

That's really sad.
When I was at school, the subject was called needlework and was very much get a pattern and make it up. There was very little creativity involved.
My son is in his final year for GCSE's and has taken textiles. He's the only boy, but he has loved the subject. It's a really creative subject with design and manufacture processes taking up a good chunk. Joe is dyslexic and chose the option because of the flexibility of the subject.
They take basic pattern designs and then add and alter their own flourishes. Joes created some brilliant items obver the two years and has really developed skills.
I'm so glad he got to do it when he did.

[Sprinkles]

Thats really pants. But it's happening everywhere.

One of my Mum's friends, who was my cookery teacher at school ended up teaching Art and Resistant Materials as Cookery was ditched.
As a result of parents ranting and raving it was bought back into the schools curriculum. Though, this was many years ago.

I went to an all girl's school and Textiles was really popular.
I hope the students and parents can come together and get it reinstated.
I've never needed bloomin Algebra in my life, so why hasn't that been axed, where as textiles teaches really useful skills.

Good Luck, and i hope something can be changed.

[colourart]

I am sorry to hear that. I hope you can keep your job.

It is a shame that textiles is being dropped, at my school people who were into art and design weren't really catered for, even though the practical subject are equally important to some students. I did a textile design degree but never did textiles at school only as part of my art 'A' level, so there is a way but just makes it harder. I completely agree that not everyone is into the real academic subjects and/or sport, whenever I went to a careers advisor they didn't have a clue what to advise when I said I wanted to do something creative.

What is your other subject?

[Seahorse]

Thats absolutely ridiculous!!!!

Seems all people think we need/want to know about is where the planets are and how to add x and y to make w!!!

Absolute sillyness.
Itl be art or H.E. for the chop next.

[beadsbydesign]

I've never needed bloomin Algebra in my life, so why hasn't that been axed,



Bet you have !!
I said that to my old maths teacher (who now teaches my son) He said to me "what do you do for a living?" When I told him he said that I was probably so well taught that I didn't even recognise the algebra I was using.

Think necklace with repeat pattern x legnth = algebra to work out how many beads I'd need to complete the design!

[Apple Tree Crafts]

....that's awful.

I'm going to have words with Himself, as he's Chair of Governors at our local secondary. I know first hand that sewing is still popular at our school, because my MinL runs one of two fabric shops here, and she supplies the school.

I wonder if schools can keep it if the demand is there?

I loved it at school. Sewing went under the grandiose name of Fabrics & Fashion at my school, and the teacher was Mrs Ainslie. Mrs A inspired me to greater things and she got me started at craft fairs. I did my first craft fair at our local primary school when I was 15.

How awful to lose these skills......

Jules

[colourart]

You're right about the algebra, I have used it when I was a textile technician many moons ago, I think I was working out some sorts of ratios to make up dyes or something can't quite remember now but it was definately algebra. Surely there's room for both the academic and practical subjects in schools.

[Sprinkles]

I use a design bored to count my beads. I always borrow the ones in bead shops to design my necklaces there!
I honestly don't understand it even if I might use it without knowing! :mf:

But on a serious note, im not one to say much about learning at school. I didnt want to be there, left at 15, not 16. 3 GCSE's, and never regretted it.

I really think that creative 'hands on' lessons should be more available. I now go to college just to learn hands on crafts, just as it wasn't around when i wanted to do it.

[Rodeo Lady]

Not everyone can be academic. I worry so much about the kids to-day at school who don't have the ability to pass all the exams that are thrown at them.

There is so much pressure put on them now just to keep the school up there in the league tables.

I would think nowadays they should be encouraging children who show I practical ability not just academic. What's wrong with learning a trade . Anyone tried to get a decent plumber/electrician/painter and decorator recently.

It really annoys me that the system doesn't encourage these children.
I worked with people with degrees and I worked in a shop and they couldn't get a job with the qualifications they had. That doesn't seem fair on anyone including the children that the schools encourage.

We definitely should have an education system that overs equal oppourtunties to all children regardless of ability.

This has touched a bit of a nerve with me .
I am the mum of two children one who alway's struggled (but was good at art/drama/C.D.T) and another who is as bright as a button and sails through everything but the school never acknowledge number one's ability's.

Anyway I hope the parent's at your school shout from the rooftops for the children who need to be taught practical skills in life and would maybe see them with a job.

I of course hope you dont find yourself out of a job.Cos we need people in this world to be able to pass on these skills.

Cheers Janice.

[beadsbydesign]

Janice you are right about diversity of subjects in schools. Our senior chool had three routes for children to follow.
The top sets, (like a grammer stream for the very capable)
the standard line for those "average achievers" there are a lot of practical and non practical subjects on offer.
And the blue stream which is where the school have joined up with a local college and the children do practical vocational courses in either equine studies, hair and beauty, machanics, and other subjects. they are also taught the maths, english etc.
I think the schools are becoming a lot more in tune with differing abilities.
Even at a level they are regognising that they can offer practical vocational subjects.

[craftyjan]

my youngest daughter who is 21 wanted to do textiles and was told they were not running the course because there was not enough interest she was very disappointed perhaps they could incorporate some textiles in with an art course i must admit i hated needlework at school but i love making things now at the time i wanted to do woodwork and metalwork although i also dropped art at school which i regret as i thought typing would get me a better job

[creativeclare]

Thanks for responding folks!

I think that this decision has been made purely based on money. The government is making Food Technology ( cookery!) compulsory as of 2011 for every child. This is great news and the lessons will be more about healthy eating, cooking good meals on a budget and where our food comes from. Fantastic, much better than what it is now but exactly how it used to be!

So, our School has chosen to axe ( don`t know why so soon!) to drop textiles so they can spend that persons wages on a Food teacher. Why can`t we have both?? I know we are a small school but the government is supposed to be ploughing money into "Licence to Cook" so where is it all going?? Clearly not on staff wages! Concerned that other Schools will follow.


I have some experience of teaching Food Technology so I`ve been offered the chance to brush up on my training and teach some food but I`m only part time. But, I should be able to keep my job and I`m always up for adding extra strings to my bow. My friend & collegue is full-time and really doesn`t want undergo this training as she really is an art teacher but teaches textiles so it would be a difficult move for her.

[creativeclare]

I`m abit slow and have only just considered the knock on effect of this!

The local college dropped many of their recreational courses such as Patchwork, dressmaking etc and as a consequence the local sewing shop certainly suffered from a loss of trade.

So now one of the three secondary schools in the same town is dropping textiles, thats going to hurt the local shop even more as we buy from there for School and and also send kids in there to buy stuff.

[sweet]

Its like when maggie thatcher was about and stopped 'thinking' subjects like sociology, because people who think too much outside the box are trouble!

I think people (non-creative people that is!) see creative subjects and creativity in general as being useless, and soft compared with maths for example. What school wants too many free spirited and creative kids about...!

I was in top set maths at school, I learnt trig, simultaneous equations, algebra bla blah blah...I dont use any of it. Yet the irony is the maths I should be able to do in my head I cant, I need a calculator! My fella who is not acadmic at all can whiz out calculations quicker in his head than I can type it in my calculator! lol

I hope it all works out well in the end. I think they're is so much emphasis placed on targets, league tables and results that somewhere along the line what is best for our children goes out the window. There's no room in the curriculum for a bit of movement it is so rigid and I don't see this as a good thing.

s.x

[wyattbean]

In my day it was good ol' domestic science and that covered food technology and textiles. My daughter goes to secondary school in september and her school is set to combine with two others to provide an Academy school in 2010. I'm really hoping that this will provide all the practical subjects that so many "average" kids need, or it will be just one huge school to get lost in. Worrying times.....
Sue

[nattynetty]

That is such a shame Clare especially when it's a subject that I guess gave you a huge amount of pleasure to teach too :mad:

Just to give a flip-side however the school I worked at until 18mths ago had a specialist Art status and were introducing textiles GCSE and their A/S level Textiles classes were always over subscribed so I doubt they'll stop teaching it there. I guess they probably get extra funding with their status but their art related courses also bump up their average on the school league tables as the teachers are so fantastic. It was so refreshing to see previously disruptive teenagers talking so enthusiasticly about a lesson and so rewarding for the less academic kids to get A* for Art Applied.

whenever I went to a careers advisor they didn't have a clue what to advise when I said I wanted to do something creative.

Should've come and seen me Amanda working in such an arty school where most 6th formers did at least one art subject I became quite an expert on that area ;)

[indri]

We didn't have textiles in school... metal work and woodwork though and I was terrible at them and at art!!! What posessed me to do the art GCSE heaven only knows, I was the worst in the class.

Food technology just sounds wrong. It was HE in my day! Involved cooking, but none of this what should the packet look like stuff.

[ilovecrafts]

It was called domestic science in my day, but I wasn't allowed to do it. the school was too interested in academic results, so individual's wishes were irrelevant, they "encouraged" ( made you) do whtever they thought would make them look best in the league tables!the only cookery i got to do was making some cakes for my girl guides cooks badge.
I had to teach myself to cook once at uni, and I ate some really disgusting meals ,cos of not realising the difference between tsp and tbsp and such like!
i think it's good that they want to bring in compulsory cookery classes.make youngsters realise about healthy eating, and the cost of foodstuffs etc. think sewing skills should be compulsory too. i never learnt, so have to use that sticky stuff on hems, and many a safety pin has been put into use to hold buttons on!

[incywincy]

Very, very sad! And why do they always presume that because you can teach Textiles, you must be good at food tech!!:confused: I got pushed into teaching food at my first school and couldn't stand it!
(lol)

I hope everything gets sorted for you Clare. x ~ btw, which of the 3 schools is it?

[Apple Tree Crafts]

..what utter rubbish...I'd love to use the more..erm..appropriate words here, but Mr M would ban me...

Five years ago, the DD wanted to do cookery at school, so she chose Food Technology. She never cooked once! She spent hours studying the blinkin' packets, and whinging at me to buy packet stuff (no, no way) so she could study the packaging at home. She was gutted that she didn't get to do hands-on stuff. Her cooking skills are fab, but only because Himself is an ex-chef and I love to cook, so we taught her at home.

Few months back it was #2 son's time to make his GCSE choices. We're wise now and James is taking BTEC Catering at school, with occasional sorties to our local college. We've had some paperwork home and he will be doing some serious cookery or 'cheffery', as he calls it. He's really excited!

Have seriously bent Himself's ear over this Textiles thing, and if I get a chance I'll chew the Principal's ear too...

Jules

[ethel&edna]

At the moment, we get a good number of students for the fashion and textiles courses at college. They are all fresh out of secondary school, full of enthusiasm and ready to progress to Uni. Where will our students come from now if schools are dropping textiles courses?

It's a joke really. At one time our textiles industry was on of the biggest in world. Our fashion industry is still a huge source of export revenue so why oh why oh why???

:mf:

[colourart]

At the moment, we get a good number of students for the fashion and textiles courses at college. They are all fresh out of secondary school, full of enthusiasm and ready to progress to Uni. Where will our students come from now if schools are dropping textiles courses?

It's a joke really. At one time our textiles industry was on of the biggest in world. Our fashion industry is still a huge source of export revenue so why oh why oh why???

:mf:
I agree it is crazy to stop a textiles course, and I'm sure you will still get many students wanting to study fashion and textiles.
Our textile industry used to be huge, but like many other industries in this country it is declining and with so many cheap imports, jobs are few and far between, I look every week for a job in textiles, and nearly every week I wish I had studied business studies or something. :mad:
If DD or DS wanted to study textiles at school I would look more to it for a life skill rather than a career move. I know it sounds terrible but fashion and textiles as a career path is extremely difficult.

[creativeclare]

At the moment, we get a good number of students for the fashion and textiles courses at college. They are all fresh out of secondary school, full of enthusiasm and ready to progress to Uni. Where will our students come from now if schools are dropping textiles courses?

It's a joke really. At one time our textiles industry was on of the biggest in world. Our fashion industry is still a huge source of export revenue so why oh why oh why???

:mf:

Yup, had a massive winge to my Head of Department exactly about this issue. I have to say that I think will run a basic sewing skills lunchtime club. It shouldn`t have to be that way, though. Can`t wait until I get a request to make costumes for the school show or repair the stage curtains. Not happenin' mate!

[jenn]

Its a sad fact in this country that 'crafts' meaning anything to do with 'hands on' is becoming a no go.

My youngest daughter did 3 years at art college, then went to uni to do textile and surface design. There are now only about 3 unis who offer this, as all the arts subjects are not given any money by the goverment to the unis, they only have the tuition fees She left after one year, very dissolusioned (spelt wrong?) with the course. No space to work, doing nothing other than she did at art college and there was talk about the course not being continued in the future.

I agree with what others have said, not all children are academic, ours definately are not. Its very sad, craftspeople in general I think are much maligned, there are some excellent people doing fantastic work and they are not appreciated by the powers that be in the sense that there is so little real support given.

Jenn

[Hopej]

That is so sad!!

I was never any good at academic subjects (my sister got the brains) so doing subjects like art and textiles were really enjoyable for me and made my school life more bareable.
Whats going to happen to all the kids, who are more creative than academic?
What are the parents views on this, is there anyway of getting some sort of petition together?

[purplemac]

At my daughter's school, they run an afterschool craft club (Hawthorn Primary) and it's REALLY popular! They have to rota the years attending and it's only a small school. So there is interest there now but what happens when they leave?

It's a terrible waste of talent! In the meantime, I've offered to teach my friend's 9 yr old dressmaking - I'm no teacher so I could end up putting the poor thing off for life!

[toots]

I just posted and the site threw me off!!!!!!!!!!!

It makes me so angry when I read about education being diluted........they are cutting all the classes which equip children for life, no wonder things are in such a state.

My youngest daughter was taught to cook with convenience foods, I asked the teacher why and was told that most mothers work and cannot be bothered to cook a meal.....I took great pleasure in telling her that I had 4 children, a full time job and cooked from scratch every night. I taught all my children to cook, wash their clothes, iron and clean.

I have spent this last week sewing like crazy to get things ready for the craft fair. I have marked out 4 whole cloth cushion covers to take with us on holiday, just in case we have any bad weather............

I have not yet got to 25 posts, once I do I will post piccys of my work over the past 10 years.

[louisejhampshire]

this does not surprise me.

I finished a degree in textiles about 3 years ago, and out of my class - about 10 people have jobs that are related!!! (out of about 100 students). I specialised in weave after my lecturer told me i had a great skill for it - failing to mention that if you want to work in such a field, i will have to move to india!

am currently trying to get into a masters now in sweden to try and get into the little remaining industry that they have.

[ladyrat]

LUDICROUS!! I just don't understand what the government are trying to achieve these days. They are supposed to be making the curriculum more pupil personable and then they go and do things like this!!

In the future people will go out and buy a brand new shirt just because a button has dropped off!

[louisejhampshire]

LUDICROUS!! I just don't understand what the government are trying to achieve these days. They are supposed to be making the curriculum more pupil personable and then they go and do things like this!!

In the future people will go out and buy a brand new shirt just because a button has dropped off!

yup i agree! can see that happening - or new trousers cause the hem has come down!

[jenn]

I thought they already did!!

Jenn

[hennie]

That is really sad. I started an after school club, at my primary school,called Nimble Needles, in the 8 months its been running, over 90 children have signed up to it. Each club runs for roughly half a term.
Year 1 to Year 6 boys and girls have all signed up, many coming term after term.

[dee_liteful]

hi claire

oh my god, thats awful! As i am trying to get into teaching, i find that quite scary as my main background is textiles!!!How are people meant to get into fashion? I studied textiles gcse, had a wonderful teacher, and me and my best friend at the time loved that lesson. It also inspired me to go onto college to study fashion and textiles then uni. Although i did find it odd that halfway through my diploma they dropped the 'textiles' part of the title and changed it to 'clothing.' But how are you meant to learn about the basics of sewing if they cant teach textiles? What a load of crap!!As I am not great at science and maths there are plenty of kids that are much more creative, so surely the oppurtunities are narrowed to art and drama?! This may mean that I will have to learn about teaching an art subject I guess!

I hope you will be ok in your future
and i'm sorry to hear about your colleague

[creativelady]

Hi Clare
Sorry to hear about your school, closing its textiles. Its so sad that I young people are not having the chance to learning sewing & crafts etc, all these talents they should require at school help them in later life. All this country thinks about is academic subjects.
When I was at school, I loved my needlework lessons, which started at primary and secondary school we would make very basic things, but it planted the seed, and got me interested in sewing, which I love. My Mother wasn't a keen sewer, so school gave me the opportunity to this subject. I often won school prizes for needlework, As I got older all the skills I learnt have enabled me to save money in my home, ie making my own clothes for my self and the children also, curtains, cushion covers etc.

[Clarey11]

Thats really sad and totally crazy!

I did textiles and art at school- not because i couldnt do anything else but because I really enjoyed it and found I was good at it. I then went to do applied arts and craft as a degree at uni.

At uni i learnt that Textiles and all crafts are undergoing a massive shift-its becoming far more popular and accepted within supposedly 'higher art circles'. You should see how many art and craft contemporary galleries there are in london. I hate the way crafts is looked down upon as some lower form of art- it can be conceptual and people find it much easier to relate to and understand than some of crazy fine art crap that you find in the tate modern or saatchi gallery.

I think this is a massive mistake, just hope it doesn't become more widespread.

[ickle pickle]

So sad to hear your news. Our local college stopped all of the sewing and craft courses Sept last and made all of the tutors redundant. I was gutted I really enjoyed going there. Not enough money in it apparently. The Government was pushing more funding towards the academic subjects and so in the end it wasn't the colleges worthwhile running them :(

[meridian]

that is very sad... when I went to school in California they didn't really push textiles, there was home ec that I didn't take because it was more focused on cooking and flour babies... I took art and pottery as I could cook and clean the house all ready.. to this day the most I can sew is a button back on a shirt... I really wish I knew how to sew. I think sewing and textile art/crafts are fab.