Our Art and Design curriculum provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and provides children with a unique way of understanding and responding to the world. Through the key concepts of line, shape, form, space, colour, tone, texture and pattern as well as through the use of different materials and processes, children communicate what they see, feel and think. Our Art and Design curriculum improves pupils' personal development skills (as outlined in our Lunar Curriculum Policy) and promotes positive mental health and wellbeing. In addition to this, it also provides a vehicle for the delivery of social, spiritual and cultural education.
Access art is used effectively and provides clear sequential learning mapped out from the Early Years to Year 6. Key concepts, knowledge and skills are introduced along with subject specific vocabulary to ensure our children become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. The Art and Design long term plan sets out the central knowledge to be taught across the school and determines the teaching sequence.
The curriculum is planned and sequenced so that existing knowledge is built on, and enhanced through carefully chosen visits and visitors.
Children are taught three Art and Design units per year. Children have the opportunity to develop and refine their drawing and painting techniques regularly alongside other units such as printing, sculpture, textiles or collage. This enables children to extend prior knowledge and skills. In between units, children are encouraged to continue to develop their drawing skills by completing regular drawing exercises. This is to ensure that skills are retained.
Short term planning details individual lesson content, pedagogy, resources, outcomes and artist(s) studied. Teachers ensure that their planning guides the acquisition and retention of new learning through a range of strategies rooted in cognitive science such as the use of regular retrieval practice. Lessons are delivered weekly by class teachers.
Children explore ideas and meaning in the work of a diverse range of artists which have been carefully selected to reflect different periods of history, and cultures, as well as our immediate locality. The study of artists stimulates the children's imagination and creativity, fosters the enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and informs the invention of their own work.
Every child from Year 1 to Year 6 has their own sketchbook in which to make their thoughts and ideas real, through writing, drawing and sticking. Sketchbooks also encourage self-reflection, as well as self and peer assessment. The different ways in which artists use sketchbooks is discussed. The final piece of artwork from a unit will not necessarily feature in the sketchbook as the emphasis is on the process and not the product. Sketchbooks are A4 with good quality cartridge paper as children work straight onto the pages. Children are encouraged to present their art work in their own individual way; they can choose how the pages of their sketchbook should look.
The impact of our Art and Design curriculum is to provide every child with the opportunity to be an artist. Through our carefully planned and sequenced curriculum, every child is encouraged to be imaginative, innovative and reflective. Our Art and Design curriculum leads pupils to become invested in their own artwork, and be able to appreciate and enjoy the diversity within Art and Design.
As a result of the overall curriculum design, including mapping of key concepts, knowledge, skills and end points as well as through the enhancement of the curriculum with specially selected visitors and local visits, pupils make outstanding progress over time across the key stages, relative to their individual starting point. Children are expected to leave our school reaching at least age-related expectations for Art and Design.
The impact of the Art and Design curriculum is evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice, lesson visits, sketchbooks, displayed final pieces of artwork and termly assessment analysis.
Our curriculum is focused around the following key concepts of Art & Design:
