TEACHERS went ‘back to school’ to produce large Olympic-inspired sails that will be decorated by students for an epic parade this summer.

Representatives from 19 schools across Weymouth and Portland and one school from Dorchester attended a weekend workshop at the Arts University College Bournemouth.

Run by the London-based carnival company Kinetika, the event saw teachers, artists and art students team up to develop skills, which they take back into their own schools later this year for workshops.

Each participating school was given one large and one small sail and the teachers set to work sawing wood to make supports for the sails and to learn silk painting and batik art techniques.

The oceans of the deep-themed sails will be displayed as part of the Moving Tides children’s procession on July 12 this year, which will herald the start of Olympic Torch Relay evening celebrations on Weymouth Beach.

Alan Rogers, cultural coordinator for the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations Team, said it was a ‘great workshop’.

He added: “The silk sails are inspired by the Olympic racing classes and will be decorated by the schools taking part in the Moving Tides parade on July 12.

“This has been made possible by £34,300 funding from Arts Council England South West in order to make the Moving Tides procession that much more special in the Olympic year.”

Head of Art at Budmouth College Vikki Gibson attended on Saturday and said: “It was really good, most of the schools from Weymouth and Portland were represented.

“We all went back to school to learn techniques with Kinetika and the art students, such as silk painting, batik.

“We were also sawing and drilling to make the large sails.

“There will be a burgee at the top of each one with the school’s logo.”

She added: “Now the exciting bit is we’ll take these skills back into our own classes.

“At Budmouth we’re also making a great big puppet – a creature from the deep – that will be controlled by 10 people.

“I’ve been involved with Moving Tides for about five years now, this year it’s all about bringing the skills we’ve learnt over the years together.”

A £725,000-programme of investment by Arts Council England, supported by Dorset County Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, aims to increase art in Weymouth and Portland before this summer’s London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events.

This includes Moving Tides, the Jurassic Stones sculpture at Littlemoor, an artist-led lighting scheme and deckchairs designed by local people on Weymouth seafront as well as media projects for 13 to 19-year-olds.

The cultural programme associated with the sailing events is expected to create at least 40 full time jobs in the borough.