Intent

At Quadring Primary School we believe that art and design is a vital part of children’s education and has a significant and valuable role in the curriculum. We have designed a curriculum for the arts with the intent that our children will, from the early years, develop a sense of creativity, self-expression, excellence and high attainment.   The children will develop their interest and curiosity about art and design through a series of both discrete lessons and cross curricular topic based learning that offers skills progression, knowledge progression as well as the opportunity for children to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. Children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, as well as other selected craft skills, e.g. collage, printing, weaving and patterns. Children will also develop their knowledge of famous artists, designers and craft makers.

Our art and design curriculum is intended to expose all children to the arts, giving them a chance to experience, and participate in a range of creative activities and events, thus aiming to enable all children to produce creative, imaginative work, while focusing on the visual elements of art and design (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D form). Children have the opportunity to explore their ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluate different creative ideas. Children will develop their understanding of art through cross curricular links. We intend to provide children with a deeper understanding of art and design, and a rich knowledge of the wider world of art and design. We believe that teaching art in this way will develop and embed an appreciation of the arts that will last a lifetime.

Implementation

Our Art curriculum is taught through a bi-annual plan to ensure that our mixed aged classes have the breadth, depth and full coverage of the National curriculum and beyond. Art and design is taught as both a discrete subject and also through purposeful cross curricular links with topics in other areas of the curriculum. Within the Early Years, art is taught through planned focused activities and continuous provision. Within Key Stage 1 and 2, art is planned following the National Curriculum and against the outlined learning objectives. Teachers have a bi-annual overview of the subject, ensuring all skills and knowledge are covered. Through the progression grids, teachers develop long term and medium term plans to ensure pupils are provided with opportunities to build on skills previously taught and ensure that skills, knowledge and vocabulary are embedded and extended.

Through a consistent approach to teaching, staff ensure the children are able to retain information and use skills confidently within their work. Cross-curricular links are made where they are purposeful and enhance the children’s understanding of other curricular areas.

The skills and knowledge that children will develop in art are mapped across each year group and throughout the school to ensure progression. The emphasis on knowledge ensures that children understand the context of the artwork, as well as the artists that they are learning about and being inspired by. This enables links to other curriculum areas, including humanities, with children developing a knowledge of artists as well as individual works and art movements. A focus on skills means that children are given opportunities to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and development in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture. The children 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. Children should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Wherever possible first hand experiences and real things are used to stimulate art and design activities. Teaching is done in whole class groups followed by group and individual work.  New techniques and skills are modelled and examples of work are shown to the children.   

In group and individual work, pupils have the opportunity to investigate, explore and develop ideas and techniques. They are also involved in evaluating their work, celebrating success and identifying areas for improvement.  Opportunities for using and extending art skills are built into lessons in other subjects.   

 At Quadring Primary we ensure that children also have access to contemporary (20th and 21st century) artists as well as more traditional ones, that are perhaps more relevant to children today.  

Cross curricular opportunities for further learning and development in the arts are built into planning of all subjects as a means of enhancing the children’s learning opportunities. These may be in the form of visiting performing arts groups, museums, galleries and other venues.  

 In EYFS, opportunities are provided for art to be explored through child initiated activities, evident in the continuous provision of art and design. These activities make important contributions to children’s development in the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language. They are also important in children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development. Art is covered in art lessons, continuous provision and as a means of communication and learning in other curriculum areas.  Ongoing opportunities for children to explore and revisit their learning is at the centre of the Early Years practice and ensures that art is seen as a creative way of expressing their ideas, thoughts and understanding of other curricular subjects.

This continuous provision is extended into Key Stage 1 for children in Year 1, where opportunities for development of art skills are provided through art and craft activities in the classroom. 

Within Key Stage 1 and 2 vocabulary is reviewed within each lesson and related resources and books are shared to support the children understanding and curiosity in art. Throughout the year, children learn about different artists and their work before developing their own skills and creative responses.

The children’s sketchbooks show development in their use and application of different media and their ability to reflect upon their own work. Children gain confidence responding to artwork and voicing their ideas. They see art as a process and are able to use skills and knowledge taught to inform their work. Pupil voice is an important part of our assessment allowing us to continually reflect upon our Arts curriculum. Pupil voice is gathered through subject monitoring and lessons are observed with a key focus identified. Subject leaders are able to support staff in their planning and feedback to staff to further develop areas of the curriculum.

Children also have the opportunity to attend extra-curricular clubs, which develop the children’s art skills, such as art club.

Impact

The children at Quadring Primary receive a broad, balanced arts curriculum which contributes to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. Children develop a range of art skills and are able to use a wide variety of art media with increasing confidence. They have a good understanding of and are able to use subject specific technical vocabulary. Children are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified. Children improve their enquiry skills and inquisitiveness about the world around them, and their impact through art and design on the world. Children will become more confident in analysing their work and giving their opinion on their own and other works of art. Children show competences in improving their resilience and perseverance by continually evaluating and improving their work. All children in school can speak confidently about their art and design work and their skills.

Throughout our school, the artwork produced is proudly displayed reinforcing the value and importance of art within our school.

Children leave Quadring Primary School having a deeper understanding and appreciation of their own and others artistic creativity, having developed an ever growing love for the arts in many of it’s different forms.