INTENT

We believe Art and Design should stimulate children’s imagination and creativity and is an important form of self-expression for children.

It affords children visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of responding to the world. In our federation, we aim for all children to learn to use colour, form, texture, shape, space, pattern and different materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think and to develop their innate creativity. They do this through working in both two and three dimensions, using their skills in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques such as printing and weaving. Children will develop a growing, rich and subject-specific vocabulary in order to discuss and analyse both their own artwork and the work of others.

Through the curriculum the children explore a wide range of significant artists, designers and craftspeople. They learn about the diverse roles and functions of art, craft and design in contemporary life, and in different times and cultures. In this way, our children will learn to appreciate the value of art, craft and design in enriching, and adding meaning to, our everyday lives.

IMPLEMENTATION

Art and Design is taught throughout KS1 and KS2 as a discrete subject but, where possible, we enrich the learning through links to other curriculum areas.

Each area of the National Curriculum is covered through a progressive curriculum which builds skills and techniques in a carefully sequenced way. Art and Design is taught using a skills-based scheme of work from Kapow. Art and Design is taught half termly within each unit of work, children study a specific technique and /or the work of a significant artist or craftsperson, learning about and practising a range of skills and approaches (often in their *sketchbooks) before producing a final piece.

Wherever possible, visits to galleries or opportunities to work with professional artists and craftspeople in school are facilitated to enhance and enrich school’s provision in art and design.

The learning in EYFS supports the NC by capitalising on children’s natural excitement for and freedom to express their thoughts, ideas and inner feelings as artists by:

• Providing children with opportunities to explore and experiment with different media and materials
• Encouraging children to be inventive and imaginative allowing them to express their creativity in ways that are personal to them
• Allowing children to use their own imagination to be uninhibited artists.

We use planned themes to talk about line, shapes, colour, form and texture and study famous artists to provide children with opportunities to learn about different techniques and styles.

IMPACT

Children’s knowledge and skills develop progressively as they move through the school and are assessed and reported to parents in the end of year report. It is important that our curriculum not only to enables children to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, but allows them to demonstrate confidence in using a range of different media and materials to express themselves creatively. Children will see themselves as artists, taking pride in their work which is displayed in their classrooms and around the school. Individual progression throughout the school will be clear in both pupils’ work in sketchbooks, which move through the school with them, alongside records of their final pieces.

All children will be able to articulate constructive criticism of their own artwork and the artwork of others, using the subject-specific vocabulary developed throughout the curriculum. Children will have a rich knowledge and appreciation of a range of significant artists, designers and craftspeople of the world. By developing confidence in all areas of the art and design curriculum, we endeavour to give our pupils the skills and cultural capital they need to continue to be inspired by art and design throughout their lives.