Open petition: Introduce mandatory sewing & textile lessons into the National Curriculum & EYFS

Created by Mrs Melanie Seiver
Closes on 24 June 2026

I ask the Government to consider introducing specific, mandatory lessons on sewing & textile skills into the National Curriculum, and Early Years Foundation Stage for nursery children. Currently, nurseries may teach sewing via continuous provision but it may not continue for all children in Year 1.

I believe sewing is a valuable life skill. It can support young people in learning how to repair, reuse, and repurpose clothing—an increasingly important skill in the context of environmental responsibility and cost of living pressures. The key benefits of sewing can include: fine motor skills & hand–eye coordination, concentration & patience, creativity & self expression, early understanding of textiles and sustainability, language and cognitive development, social & emotional learning, and sense of achievement.

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