Inspiring the next generation of professional designers and innovators and helping to equip young people with skills for workplaces of the future, Year 10 students from Kingsmeadow Community School in Dunston are one of only two groups of North East school students that are participating in the prestigious DesignLab Nation schools’ education programme.

The programme develops partnerships with schools, regional museums and designers and focuses upon local making, design heritage and industry as well as highlighting historical and contemporary design and its importance to regional collections, place-making and learning.

Participation in the programme has provided a fantastic opportunity for Kingsmeadow students to visit the contemporary ceramic exhibition and many other important pieces at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London. The V&A trip has enhanced their studies and helped them to make meaningful connections between a wide range of artworks and images. This experience, alongside a visit to Gateshead’s Shipley Art Gallery have been invaluable to their learning.

Each visit has given our students the confidence to create designs and produce prototypes of artistic examples that could be used to enhance their local community, and these will be displayed at the DesignLab Nation event in the summer of 2025.

Headteacher, Mr Barrett said: “The Shipley Art Gallery is a great Gateshead institution and we were excited for our students to be able to work with them on this project. Having spoken to the students involved, I know that they have had a wonderful set of experiences, as well as showing off their own artistic skills and potential.”