ELAN Collaborative Schools Exhibition 2025

This term at Sidcot, we have both celebrated our previous Partnership work in a sparkling awards ceremony at the Pearson National Teaching Awards, and welcomed nine of the Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) primary schools back for this year’s art project and exhibition, centred on ceramics.

Inspired by the rich traditions of ancient Central America, this year’s collaborative schools exhibition is entitled “Central American Animal Ceramics”. Across the region’s history, pottery was far more than a practical craft — it was a way of telling stories. Pots, bowls and sculptural forms were decorated with vibrant animal imagery, each creature chosen not only for its beauty but also for its symbolic meaning. Jaguars, birds, monkeys and reptiles all carried cultural significance, representing strength, intelligence, protection or connection to the natural world.

Drawing on these traditions, students explored terracotta clay and traditional slip-decoration techniques, working with processes that have been used for thousands of years. They studied ancient functional ceramics — vessels made for carrying water, storing food or holding offerings — and discovered how artists embedded identity, belief and daily life into every surface.

The pieces, now exhibited in the Sidcot Art Centre, were created by students from Years 3 to 6, who designed their own symbolic animals, considered how form and function work together, and experimented with shape, texture and pattern to bring their ideas to life. This exhibition represents the work of around 300 students across the Weston-super-Mare region. We extend our thanks to all participating classes and to their wonderful young artists, whose imagination and enthusiasm have shaped this collaborative project.