Haytor View

Community Primary School & Nursery

Learning together ~ enjoying success ~ aiming high ~ celebrating difference ~ enriching community

Haytor View

Community Primary School & Nursery

Learning together ~ enjoying success ~ aiming high ~ celebrating difference ~ enriching community

As part of our bespoke curriculum, we like to immerse the children in experiences which support deep, rich learning. Today was devoted to clay; its role in our town’s development through both a historical and geographical perspective as well as the uses of clay throughout the ages in cultures from all around the world.

Clay plays a massive role in our home town’s development over the last 300 years and on into the future. Over the years, we have built up a great relationship with one of our local clay companies and have been pleased that for the last four years, Mr Darrin Hewing from Sibelco has agreed to visit our school to share his deep knowledge and passion for the clay upon which Newton Abbot is built.

With an interactive presentation, Mr Hewings covered the geographical processes which result in the high quality clay found in the Bovey Basin. From the school, we looked out over the Bovey Basin, up to our Haytor view and we then  explored the maps and satellite images which showed the same area to see a bird’s eye view of the extent of clay quarries.

We explored the changes over time in working practices and the impact of these upon the workers and also looked at modern safety features to keep people safe.

There was a particular focus on the role of Decoy Park, as Decoy is a regular venue for our out of school learning. Now they children have a very clear understanding of its importance and formation and so when we go, will be able to appreciate their local area just that little bit more deeply.

In the afternoon, we created a timeline of pottery made from clay. The artifacts studied came from a range of cultures from different times and places, with a little story about each. The Sumerian shopping list and Norman mug were two favourites.

The day culminated in children designing and making their own artifacts from this marvelous material. There was a bit of practice in the rudimentary techniques of clay working and then the children were left to let their creativity soar to produce their own works of art.

I wonder if any of them will be lost in the ground to be discovered thousands of years from now?