Art & Design
At Thorner Primary School we believe that children should access exciting and challenging learning opportunities where clear progression, high quality teaching and engaging curriculum content allow them to master the fundamental skills of art and design and develop a love of creative expression. Our Art and Design curriculum is intended not only to allow children to become competent artists, but also foster positive attitudes, excitement of discovery and a culture of ambition and success.
Intent
The National Curriculum for Art and Design aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
- Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
- Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
- Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
At Thorner CofE Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. Art and Design provide children with opportunities to develop, explore and extend skills and express their individual thoughts, interests and ideas.
We believe that high quality Art and Design instruction and provision should engage, inspire and challenge all pupils and equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to experiment, invent and create. As they progress, pupils should think critically and deepen their understanding of artistic skills and processes, while recognising how Art and Design reflect and shape our history and contribute to world culture and creativity.
Our Art and Design provision is designed to allow all children, including those with SEND, to experience excitement, fascination and wonder and, most importantly, a sense of achievement as they practise and improve skills and express their ideas and creativity.
Implementation
EYFS - We recognise that it is in Early Years that children have the opportunity to encounter the foundations of a successful art and design experience. We want the children to confidently explore materials and techniques and be able to express themselves verbally and creatively so that they are ready to access Art and Design in KS1.
Our youngest children explore and use a variety of media and materials through child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunity to:
- Explore textures, feel and look at different media and materials.
- Develop an understanding of how they can manipulate materials to create different effects.
- Use different media and materials to express their own ideas.
- Explore colour, shape and pattern.
- Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately.
- Select appropriate media and techniques and adapt their work where necessary.
The art curriculum has been designed with three formal taught units per year group: drawing, painting and sculpture. Each of these include components, which extend beyond the requirements of the national curriculum. These units build progressively, year on year, by deepening the children’s understanding of the formal key elements of art: line, shape, form, tone, colour, texture and pattern.
Key Stage 1 - Over the course of Year 1 and Year 2, pupils are introduced to each of the fundamental skills. Teachers carefully model how to use tools and resources and the children are given plenty of opportunities to practise, while also learning appropriate vocabulary to enable them to articulate what they are doing. Pupils are encouraged to express their likes, dislikes and preferences and think about how they could improve their work. Independence and exploration is encouraged within each unit.
Key Stage 2 - From Year 3, the focus shifts increasingly to developing ideas, exploring different media and encouraging an increased level of independence. Children create sketch books to record their observations, practise techniques, explore ideas and annotate with reflections. They improve their mastery of each of the fundamental skills and develop a deeper understanding of the influence of artists and craftspeople in society and the wider world.
Impact
- Become fluent with techniques and media across the formal elements of art in drawing, painting and sculpture.
- Children are enthusiastic about Art and Design and are happy to explore resources and techniques independently.
- Children understand how to use tools and resources safely and appropriately.
- Children think critically about their own and other’s work, they can evaluate what they have done and consider how they could improve it or develop it further.
- Children recognise that everyone is an artist and embrace different styles, ideas and individuality.
- Children are proud of their achievements and are keen to celebrate and exhibit their work.
- Children know about artists and craftspeople and their influence on history and the world today.
World Art Day 2024
On Monday 15th April, we celebrated World Art Day. Following an assembly to launch the day, the children took part in a whole school project on portraits. Each class used different styles and techniques.
I hope you will take a minute to enjoy the presentation I have put together to showcase their work. We are so proud of the children, and I am sure you will be impressed by their creativity and the quality of their finished pieces.
Enjoy!
