Craft Scotland’s CLPL programme helps teachers explore and understand craft’s place in the curriculum.

The CLPL (Career-Long Professional Learning) programme was designed to support secondary-school teachers in implementing craft learning within the Curriculum for Excellence.

Starting in 2017, 8 Edinburgh-based teachers were invited to come to Craft Scotland’s offices to discuss tertiary education’s role in introducing contemporary craft to pupils and learn more about teacher’s role and needs.

These discussions informed the development of Craft Scotland’s pilot workshop strand, with 20 schools based across Scotland over the next two academic years. While the CLPL programme was interrupted in mid-2020 due to the pandemic, and for the following academic year 2020/21, it was re-started for the academic year 2021/22 with a new mentoring strand delivered online. The programme for 2022/23 is currently being developed.

Read more about all strands of the CLPL programme.

Teacher CLPL workshop

The CLPL programme brought teachers out of classrooms and into makers' studios, where they could experiment with a range of craft disciplines and gain confidence in using different materials, tools and techniques.

Across two years of workshops, Craft Scotland connected 61 Art & Design teachers with makers by subsidising workshops in craft studios across Edinburgh. The workshops encouraged teachers to think creatively and find new approaches to learning, networking and testing ideas collaboratively. After attending the workshops, teachers noted that they had the confidence and knowledge to bring their new skills to the classroom and share their learnings with other teachers.

“I have already shared what I did with colleagues and am planning lessons.” - Participating teacher, 2019/20

“My students will benefit from the skills I have learnt.” - Participating teacher, 2018/19

Learn about previous workshops.

Online mentoring

In 2021, Craft Scotland launched a new online mentoring strand to the CLPL programme. It was designed to introduce teachers to new approaches in learning within STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) subjects using craft and design processes.

Following a launch with mentor Jeni Allison, a specialist in knitwear design, we selected three schools across Scotland to participate in this new initiative. Mentoring also promoted personal growth through expertise and creative practice for both makers and teachers.

Learn more about the mentoring strand.

“The most rewarding part for me personally was getting to know the teachers and how they wanted to integrate textiles into their classes. As a designer and educator I found it interesting to see what elements of my practice were most applicable to the curriculum as well as the pupil’s wider understanding of careers within the craft sector.” - Jeni Allison, knitwear designer