BLOG: Charlotte Cox, Teacher, Villiers Primary School, Bilston
Classroom as Studio Programme
At the start of the Classroom as Studio project, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I joined with the hope of deepening my understanding of art education and finding new, exciting, and more engaging ways to teach art to my Year 5 class. What unfolded has been far more enriching and transformative than I could have anticipated. Working alongside a professional artist has been an incredible experience—not just for the children, but for me as a teacher. Watching an artist bring their creative process directly into the classroom and witnessing how the children respond to that kind of authentic, hands-on learning, has truly opened my eyes to the possibilities within art education. It’s encouraged me to reimagine the way I use my classroom, moving away from rigid structures and instead embracing a more flexible, open, and child-led approach. The project has helped me let go of the idea that everything needs to lead to a polished or perfect outcome, instead, it’s reinforced the idea that the process—the experimenting, exploring, failing, and trying again—is just as valuable as the final product, if not more so. The children have been empowered to take ownership over their own learning, and I’ve seen them thrive in that freedom. They have created individual pieces that reflect their own personalities and perspectives, and they’ve also worked together to build something larger. That sense of collaboration, pride, and shared purpose has been lovely to witness. Through this process, they’ve come to understand that art isn’t just about painting the ‘perfect’ picture—it’s a powerful form of communication and a way to express their identities, emotions, and their views of the world.
The year has had it’s challenges, time constraints and at times it’s been hard to let go of the comfort of predictable outcomes. But the growth that’s come from pushing past those barriers has been well worth it. I’ve learned so much—both professionally and personally—through taking part in this project. It’s helped me reflect on my own teaching practice and inspired me to bring more creativity, flexibility, and openness into my classroom every day. It has been lovely to see the children’s skills, confidence, and excitement grow over time. They have loved this project and have been proud of the work they have created, even having the opportunity to showcase their work in our local church. Classroom as Studio has been a great experience to be part and I hope to continue this passion and enthusiasm with my new class in year 2 of the project and share new ideas with colleagues.
About Charlotte
Charlotte Cox is a teacher at Villiers Primary School.
