At Woodcote Primary School we believe that art is a vital part of children’s education, with a significant and valuable role in our curriculum and offering enrichment opportunities to all pupils. Through Art and Design, we propose to develop creativity, imagination, self-expression and an aesthetic sensibility; thus enabling children to respond to the world around them through visual, tactile and sensory experiences. Children will develop a range of skills in a variety of media. They will have the opportunity to explore, investigate, create and to reflect upon and evaluate their work. As children learn about the history, role of art and of established artists, they will develop understanding of how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation and our world.
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in art and design, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Art and design is taught discreetly, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum. At Woodcote Primary we ensure that art and design is given the same importance as the core subjects, as we feel this is important in enabling all children to gain ‘real-life’ experiences.
The art and design curriculum at Woodcote Primary is based upon the 2014 Primary
National Curriculum in England, which provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills and taught in each Key Stage. 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 considerable knowledge of individual artists, as well as individual works and art movements. A similar systematic approach to the development of artistic skills means that children are given opportunities to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and develop mastery in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture.
Each new unit of work begins with a recap of the previous related knowledge from previous years. This helps children to retrieve what they have learnt in the earlier sequence of the programme of study, and ensures that new knowledge is taught in the context of previous learning to promote a shift in long term memory.
When teaching art and design, teachers should follow the children’s interests to ensure their
learning is engaging, broad and balanced. A variety of teaching approaches are used based on the teacher’s judgement.
Art and design provides excellent opportunities to enhance the learning of more able pupils through the investigations, analysing sources and writing extending pieces. Children showing extensive aptitude in art and design will be placed on our schools gifted and talented register. These children will be selected for appropriate enrichment opportunities throughout the year.
At Woodcote Primary we provide a variety of opportunities for art and design learning inside and outside the classroom. Pupils will use sketchbooks to record their Art & Design lessons and progression of skills. We will be showcasing the pupils work and progressive skills and knowledge across the year groups in our Sharing Assemblies.
Educational visits are another opportunity for the teachers to plan for additional art learning outside the classroom. At Woodcote Primary, the children have had many opportunities to experience art and design on educational visits. The children have explored local museums/art galleries and had visitors into school to share art and design learning and have hands on experiences.
Alongside our curriculum provision for design and technology, we also provide all pupils with the opportunity to participate in Art/DT based after school clubs.
The structure of the art curriculum ensures that children are able to develop their knowledge and understanding of the work of artists, craftspeople and designers from a range of times and cultures and apply this knowledge to their own work. The consistent use of children’s sketchbooks means that children are able to review, modify and develop their initial ideas in order to achieve high quality outcomes. Children learn to understand and apply the key principles of art: line, tone, texture, shape, form, space, pattern, colour, contrast, composition, proportion and perspective. The opportunity for children to refine and develop their techniques over time is supported.
Classroom displays reflect the children’s sense of pride in their artwork and this is also demonstrated by creative outcomes across the wider curriculum. The school environment also celebrates children’s achievements in art and demonstrates the subject’s high status in the school, with outcomes, including sculptures, enhancing the outdoor, as well as indoor, environment. The Art curriculum at Woodcote Primary contributes to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection.
Assessment of Art is undertaken as a formative judgement whilst working with the children in lessons to assess their skills. The children have Art Books that move up the school with them showing their progression through the Art curriculum. Moderation of Artwork is undertaken across the classes.