Over January, as part of our BorderLands project, Sarah Boulton has been working with children at Kington Primary School, leading a series of sessions that explore language, expression and making. Working with years 4 and 6, the sessions have created space for curiosity, collaboration and thoughtful engagement, both indoors and outdoors.

At the first session in January, children were each given a budding tree branch and invited to imagine the voice their bud might have, and what it might say. This simple starting point encouraged careful observation and imaginative thinking. From there, the children worked with clay, making pinch pots that were stamped using their buds. The pots became places to hold words and ideas. Children could speak into them, squash pots together, leave them in the park, or carry them back to school, allowing meaning to shift between voice, object and place.

Back in the classroom, language became the focus in a different way. Small groups were given the word “empty” as a prompt, exploring synonyms, associations and meanings. One group chose, entirely of their own accord, to focus only on emotions, gathering as many feeling words as possible. Their discussion was careful and engaged, showing confidence in shaping the activity to reflect their own interests.

By valuing open-ended outcomes and allowing for divergence, sessions supported a range of learning styles. They also held space for neurodiverse and culturally diverse interpretations of the activities. Many Tamil speaking families in Kington have settled locally through employment in the care sector, and creative sessions like these can play an important role in supporting communication, connection and a sense of belonging.

Each session was busy and energetic, with the practical realities of muddy boots, clay covered tables and paint to clear away at the end. These traces of activity spoke to the depth of engagement throughout the day. As the work continued, the sessions evolved in response to what was learned, with new approaches and ideas being introduced as the project develops.

BorderLands in 2025-26 is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.