Schools

Just Be You has worked in primary schools across Cardiff, delivering clay-based creative interventions for children at different stages — from early years through to distressed adolescents. The work isn't about making art. It's about using making as a way to address real needs: self-esteem, communication, mental health, belonging.

What the schools programme looks like

Every school we work with is different, and every programme is designed around what that particular school and its pupils actually need. There isn't a standard lesson plan we deliver everywhere. The work starts with a conversation about what the challenge is — and then we design something that responds to it.

That might mean:
- A series of clay sessions for early years children focused on communication, social confidence, and settling into school
- A focused intervention for distressed adolescents who are struggling to engage with conventional provision
- Structured sessions for non-attending pupils as part of a wider reintegration approach
- Work on self-esteem, identity, and belonging for children experiencing bullying or social difficulty
- Support for children with additional learning needs, including autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities

Whatever the presenting need, the approach is the same: identify what's going on, design a response that's appropriate and evidence-informed, deliver it, and evaluate the outcomes.

Schools we've worked with

Just Be You has delivered work in:
- St David's Church of Wales Primary School, Cardiff — including a community memorial project commissioned by the school
- Bryn Celyn Primary School — clay and art-based intervention work
- St Bernadette's RC Primary School, Cardiff — the Just Be You Intervention Programme

Why clay?

Clay is particularly effective in a school setting because it bypasses the pressure that children often feel around performance and outcome. There's no right answer with clay. The focus is on the process — on touching, shaping, making decisions, expressing something — rather than on producing a correct result. For children who are anxious, disengaged, or struggling with self-worth, that shift in what "success" means can make a real difference.

Clay also gives children who find verbal communication difficult a different way to express themselves. Something that is hard to put into words can sometimes be put into an object. Watching what a child does with clay — what they make, what they say while they're making it, what they choose to keep — can tell you a great deal.

What's included in a schools programme

All sessions are delivered by Charmaine Joy Clements (BA Hons Ceramics, MA Arts Practice with Merit), who holds an enhanced DBS certificate and has extensive experience in safeguarding environments.

Just Be You is fully covered by public liability insurance.

Every programme includes planning, delivery, and evaluation — so schools have a clear record of what was done and what it achieved.

To find out more or commission a programme, get in touch via the Get Involved page.