An exhibition of over 120 ceramic pots created by Seaton Primary pupils, staff and parents will go on show later this week.

Seaton Pottery is a project led by The Reading Bus, working in partnership with the staff of Seaton School, Aberdeen City Council’s Arts Education Team, the University of Aberdeen, and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which enabled professional ceramicist, Nancy Fuller, to be based at the primary school during November and December 2009.

Nancy and the youngsters also created two stunning pieces of modern Seaton Pottery which will be a lasting legacy and put on display in their new school. The pupils have researched the rich heritage of Seaton Pottery through working with a wide range of creative adults including storytellers, artists, archaeologists, museum professionals and Nancy.

The Seaton Pottery celebration is part of the larger project:
"A Journey through Old Aberdeen" and has been led by The Reading Bus, which has involved eight primary schools in the St Machar Community in a collaborative project investigating and exploring the rich heritage of Old Aberdeen.

The project has provided enjoyable and inspirational learning experiences that have stimulated personal development utilising the historic environment and the museum and archive collections held by the university.

The pupils have translated and shared their research through a variety of media including illustration, literature, animation, 3D sculpture and woodcarvings.  

Aberdeen City Council’s Convener of Education, Culture and Sport, Andy May, said: "This is a tremendous example of how the children in Seaton have explored their own cultural heritage working across the Curriculum and in different media. In doing so, they have created their own responses to share with all of us. It is a remarkable achievement.”

University of Aberdeen’s Education and Access Officer, Alison Parfitt, said: “This was a super opportunity to use Aberdeen University's Historic Collections to support Seaton Primary School in exploring their local heritage, and that the children are very much looking forward to sharing their fantastic creative response, the new Seaton Pottery, with the local community and the wider public."

Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "Our heritage offers a rich resource for education and it is wonderful to see it being used in such an innovative way. The Reading Bus is providing powerful and memorable experiences for the children, making learning fun and opening their eyes to the history which surrounds them. Young people are the future custodians of our heritage so their passion for it is vital if we are to keep it from being lost forever.”

A celebration of the culmination of  "A Journey through Old Aberdeen" will be exhibited Monday, 22 March to Saturday, 24 April 2010 at Provost Skene’s House, Aberdeen, and form part of the Children's Festival at Word 10 - the popular literary event held at King’s College Campus, University of Aberdeen, Friday 14 May to Sunday 16 May.