The Textiles Skills Centre has published a new report, Unravelling the Fabric of Textiles Education – Where next?, which sheds light on the current status and potential future direction of textiles education in schools.

The Textiles Skills Centre brings together industry and education experts to support, develop and deliver resources, courses and events for textiles teachers, trainers and the open community.

The report outlines that since 2014, textiles education has primarily been taught within Design and Technology (D&T) in the National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 3. However, recent trends indicate a shift towards teaching textiles through Art & Design, and more generally there have been raising concerns about the diminishing status of textiles education, it said.

Currently, it explains that primary school pupils receive around 30 hours of textiles education over six years, while secondary schools allocate approximately 53 hours during Key Stage 3. Despite this limited exposure, pupils express a strong interest in textiles and desire more engagement in lessons. There’s a notable shift occurring at the GCSE level, moving from Design & Technology to Art & Design, prompting discussions about the future of textiles education.

Looking ahead, teachers and pupils advocate for several key changes. They seek to maintain textiles within Design & Technology at Key Stages 1 to 3, update subject content, delivery, and timetabling to demonstrate clear progression, and make GCSE textiles more relevant and specific. Additionally, there’s a call to define and promote the value of textiles education.

To address these needs, the Textiles Skills Centre recommends several actions. These include conducting a thorough examination of primary textiles education, consulting on secondary content and teaching approaches, developing a comprehensive understanding of textiles education, discussing GCSE options with stakeholders, ensuring teacher subject knowledge through CPD, and promoting textiles education through a targeted campaign. These recommendations aim to improve the quality, relevance, and recognition of textiles education across primary and secondary schools.

To read the full report, click here.

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The Textiles Skills Centre also runs two Facebook pages, a closed networking group to share knowledge, ideas, advice and inspiration, and an open page for textiles-related updates. It is run by a team of volunteers and offers support, mentorship and advice to textile teachers and trainees.