Art

As our school develops our new Primary identity, we will be reviewing and updating our curriculum to ensure that all the children at Peel Common have a broad and balanced curriculum.

“Creativity takes courage.” Henri Matisse, French Visual Artist

Intent

The intent of our Art curriculum at Peel Common Primary school is to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity and support to produce creative, imaginative works. Children have the opportunity to explore their own ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluating different creative ideas. 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 develop their knowledge of famous artists, designers and craft makers. They will develop their interest and curiosity about art, design and creative practice through lessons offering skills progression, knowledge progression and offering pupils the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. Lessons will be sequenced to ensure children can build on previous learning and make progress. The lessons will offer the chance for children to develop their emotional expression through art to further enhance their personal, social and emotional development. Art and design will be integrated across the curriculum encouraging the pupils to be expressive and solve problems creatively.

Implementation

We follow a broad and balanced Art and Design curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. All classes will have a scheduled Art and Design session each week with the focus on a range of skills, techniques and different artists. The lessons 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 will also learn how art and design both reflect, shape and contribute to the history, culture and creativity of our world. These will be exploratory sessions resulting in sketchbook works, but, each term, children will design and create a finished artwork. This will enable pupils to apply learned skills and will be linked to other curriculum subjects. We want to ensure that Art and Design is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using art are always taken. Children’s final works/photographs of their work will be recorded in their sketchbooks at the end of each journey for reference and assessment. Long term plans identify the skills, techniques and artists to be covered each year/cycle and the topic units for each term. Unit overviews specify objectives and assessment criteria to ensure progression.

Impact

Teachers and pupils across school enjoy and value Art and Design. Teachers have high expectations and children understand why and how to develop their skills. Pupils appreciate the value of Art and Design in the context of personal wellbeing, cultural significance and career possibilities. Evidence can be presented in a variety of ways and progress is demonstrated through review and scrutiny of children’s work over time as they gain skills and knowledge, observing how they perform in lessons and talking to them about what they know. Progress will be shown through outcomes and through the important record of the process leading to them. Children can use technical vocabulary accurately and are expected to know, apply and understand the skills and processes taught. Children improve their enquiry skills and inquisitiveness about the world around them and the impact of Art and Design around the world. Children will become more confident in analysing their work and giving their opinion on their own and other works of art. Children will improve their resilience and perseverance by frequently evaluating and improving their work. All children in school can speak confidently about their art and design work and their skills.