Curriculum Intent

The Art curriculum develops creativity, sets challenges, engages and inspires children and equips them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design.  As a school, we believe that art is a vital part of children’s education.  It provides them with opportunities to develop a range of ways in which they can share and express their individual creativity, whilst learning about different types of art in our society.

Aims

The National Curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Curriculum Implementation

Our art curriculum allows children to express their creative imagination as well as provide them with the opportunities to practise and develop skills in drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture.  Pupils are encouraged to use their imagination through a wide variety of media with an awareness of colour, texture, design and dimension. This is supported by studying artists and their work.

Lessons are taught in blocks on a half term basis. Pupils are given constructive feedback and next steps, with further opportunities to create art and improve their work, to ensure that skills are being developed. Art work is displayed in classrooms and around school, so pupils can be proud of their achievements. Photographic evidence is also recorded and displayed in books.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities.  They have opportunities to learn to:

• Explore the textures, movement, feel and look of different media and materials
• Respond to a range of media and materials, develop their understanding of them in order to manipulate and create different effects.
• Use different media and materials to express their own ideas
• Explore colour and use for a particular purpose
• Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately
• Select appropriate media and techniques and adapt their work where necessary

Key Stage 1

Pupils are taught:

• To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• About the work of a range of artists, craft-makers and designers, describing the difference and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.

Key Stage 2

Pupils are taught:

• To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials ( for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay)
• About great artists, architects and designers in history.

Curriculum Impact

In all classes, children have a wide range of abilities. Whilst recognising this fact, we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children.  Teacher assessment is carried out after every lesson to inform future lessons; to ensure children are supported and challenged appropriately.

Children in the Foundation Stage are assessed with Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked using Tapestry/iTrack.  Age related expectation levels are reported to parents at the end of the reception year.