Art and Design

Art Intent Statement.

At Hunts Cross Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum.

Our Art and Design curriculum engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. As pupils progress on their artistic learning journey, they are taught to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of Art and Design and the influence it has on us and the world around them. They are taught how Art and Design both reflects and shapes our history and culture. They do this by studying male and female artists from around the world, but also local artists and local architecture, taking advantage of our city, which has a wealth of cultural experiences including the Tate and Walker Art Galleries.

The children will develop their understanding of the visual language of Art through studying different media within the various disciplines of Art (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, collage, textile and digital design). They will achieve this through effective teaching and considered sequences of lessons and experiences. They will also develop an understanding of the visual elements of Art and Design (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D form) as we provide a curriculum which enables our children to reach their full potential.

We see Art and Design as a means to support learning in a range of ways. The skills that are developed in these subjects can be transferred across the curriculum and thus support and enhance learning.

As Pablo Picasso famously said “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” We aim to engage our children and show them like all other lessons, Art is not just a natural flair, it is a set of knowledge and skills that can be developed within a supportive environment and a positive ‘can do’ ethos.

Implementation

In accordance with the National Curriculum’s expectations, we aim to ensure that all pupils produce creative work, exploring their ideas and record their experiences. Through our curriculum, our pupils become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques. They are able to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design and they know about the work of great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

 

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:

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

 

Key stage 2

Pupils are taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils are taught:

  1.  to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
  2.  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]
  3.  about great artists, architects and designers in history.

The knowledge and skills that children will develop throughout each art topic are mapped across each year group to ensure progression. This starts in our Early Years Foundation Stage. The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Hunts Cross Primary School is supported by the Suffolk Art Scheme, which supports planning from Year 1, ensuring a well-structured approach to this creative subject. Activities are adapted for Reception ensuring they have a wide ranging experience of Art and Design. More detail can be found in our Long Term plan.

All teachers have access to progression maps to differentiate learning for those children who have gaps in their learning or who have SEND needs. The school’s Art and Design curriculum is supported through the availability of a wide range of quality resources, which are used to support children’s confidence in the use of different media. Alongside our curriculum provision for Art and Design, we also provide pupils with the opportunity to participate in Art based after school clubs led by members of staff who have a passion for Art.

Impact

Our Art and Design curriculum contributes to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, perseverance and self-reflection. This can be seen in the children’s work on display, in the year group floor book and their sketchbooks.

Further information is gathered through the collection of the floor books, learning walks and pupil questionnaires; highlighting strengths and achievement and any improvements that still need to be embedded. The children are keen to learn new skills and work hard to perfect those shown to them. The children’s art is sometimes cross-curricular, and helps them to express feelings and emotions in art, as well as show their knowledge and understanding in history, geography and science.

Teachers make formative assessments against key objectives taken from both the Suffolk scheme and the Focus Curriculum document and they use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately. Children are provided with an assessment judgement on their end of year reports and this is shared with parents.

Children in Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and age related expectations are reported to parents at the end of the Reception year.

Art Overview and Policy