Art & Design

Intent:

At St. Mark’s C.E. Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum, as well as stimulating creativity and imagination. With our inspiring Art  curriculum, we aim to provide a sequence of carefully structured lessons, which build on prior artistic skills and develop creativity, confidence and imagination. Children will have the opportunity to both explore and practise skills in different areas of painting, sketching, famous artists, collage and sculpture.  Each lesson allows the children the opportunity to develop their skills through their own emotional expression, developing both confident and creative learners.

Our intent is to enable children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials & processes. Our children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques to equip them with the knowledge and skills to be able to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. The children will develop knowledge of the styles of famous artists and designers.  'Flourishing together' the children will build on their artistic skills from EYFS through to Year 6.

Implementation:

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design curriculum at St Mark’s C.E. Primary School is based on the National Curriculum Programme of Study.  Art is taught as an explicit lesson but also may be used to enrich the wider curriculum through cross-curricular links.

In EYFS, children will explore the subject through 'Expressive Arts' where they are encouraged to explore different media, explore how media can be combined to create different effects and develop a range of skills and techniques experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. Children are given daily access to a range of creative opportunities and enjoy our carefully planned and well-resourced creative areas both indoors and out. It is paramount that the children’s artwork be purposeful. This may be as a means of expression or to explore the styles of other artists that inspire our own work.

At St Marks C.E. Primary, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school from EYFS to Year Six. Art and design lessons are taught through termly units which allow for coverage of the National Curriculum skills, as well as cross-curricular links. These links are promoted to allow all children to deepen their understanding across the curriculum. 

Each year group will have structured lessons, covering specific skills taken from the National Curriculum.  Teachers will choose how this is delivered. This will be carried out during three half terms a year. To ensure curriculum coverage, some year groups may block units through 'art days'. To record the learning process, each child will have a sketch book where they can practise skills, develop ideas and keep an individual record of their own personal, creative developmental journey.  Sketch books will also be used as a way to celebrate final pieces.  

The children’s artistic learning is further enhanced with whole school ‘Big Art’ days when the children have opportunities for collaborative working and exploring different styles and techniques of a range of artists and designers.

Curriculum strands:

The strands that will be taught and developed are:

• Sketching (with pencil and charcoal)
• Collage 
• Sculpture
• Painting
• Exploration of the work of famous artists        

Impact:

Children will develop their artistic skills to ensure they make progress and achieve age-related expectations in Art & Design. Our inspiring and carefully sequenced curriculum will ignite an enthusiasm for Art which will be evidenced through pupil voice and learning in sketch books.

By the end of their primary education, pupils will be able to:

• Participate in art activities confidently and with secure engagement
• Engage in open-ended, creative learning where exploration is a natural occurrence
• To see their own progression over time
• Understand that art is personal and that is what makes art special

Our Art & Design curriculum is accessible for all, including those with SEND. Additional provision and strategies are considered to ensure all needs are catered for.  Corridor and classroom displays celebrate children’s completed art work.  We foster an enthusiasm for Art & Design with children passionate about pursuing careers in this field:  illustrators, fashion designers, architects, printmakers, etc.