Cadw Creators: Stained Glass Windows Learning Resource

A guide for teachers and educators, using built heritage and stained glass, for a curriculum based learning project

This guide provides a framework for teachers, artist educators and pupils to explore stained glass using the local built environments, in particular churches, for inspiration in the expressive arts Area of Learning and Experience (AoLE). 

Using this guide will provide at least six weeks of lessons, introduce the concept of site-specific artwork and develop artistic skills. The resource provides an in depth look at stained glass focusing specifically on examples from Wales. 

This is designed to equip teachers and artist educators with the knowledge and tools to facilitate a high-quality stained-glass project with a group of learners. A project planning framework is suggested with clear links to both the Expressive Arts and Religion, Values and Ethics Areas of Learning and Experience statements for the Welsh Curriculum. 

The new curriculum for Wales advocates the use of local cultural resources for learning. Exploring the built environment and stained glass for project work is an excellent way of achieving this objective, and clearly facilitates the curriculum’s Four Purposes. 

This guide aims to help teachers and educators feel more confident in using stained glass to facilitate this style of learning, enabling you to develop high quality projects to use with pupils at school, and in arts education settings.

This resource has been a collaboration between Cadw, artist and historian Dr Martin Crampin, and Officers from Llandaff Diocese.