Intent
What is taught?
At Toft Hill Primary, we recognise the importance of Art & Design when developing children’s personal expression, cultural understanding and creative risk taking. As one of the foundation subjects taught in primary schools, we give the learning of art & design the prominence it requires.
We follow the National Curriculum for Art & Design, which aims to ensure that all children:
- 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
We teach art & design through the sharing of progressive knowledge, artistic skills and creative techniques that allow children to experiment, invent and produce their own individual and unique works of art, craft and design. We aim to engage, inspire and challenge pupils to produce work that explores their imagination and records their personal experiences. As pupils progress, we develop their ability to think critically and show an appreciation for all types of art, by giving them the opportunity to respond to the modern and creative world in which we live.
Implementation
How is Art & Design taught?
When teaching Art & Design pupils are shown how to develop a range of artistic techniques. These include the control and use of materials with creativity, experimentation and an increasing appreciation of different kinds of art, craft and design. Throughout the different year groups, planning has a continuous focus on drawing techniques to enable progression as children build upon and refine their individual artistic abilities. Sketchbooks are used as a way to allow children to record their observations, store original ideas and develop personal practices. These are then taken by the children into their next year group as an ongoing record of creativity. Wherever appropriate, topics are linked both inside and outside of the classroom and to the work of a wide range of relevant and significant artists: craftspeople, sculptors, designers and architects, so children can develop their knowledge and their creative and critical thinking of the cultural world around them.
“Progress means knowing more and remembering more.” OFSTED
Teachers approach topics in different ways depending on the unit being taught:
- Lessons may be blocked and taught across most afternoons for a 2/3 week period
- Art & design could be taught once a week for a number of weeks.
Impact
Why is art & design taught in this way?
The Art & Design curriculum is taught this way at Toft Hill to allow children to become confident in their own artistic ability and their knowledge and understanding of artistic work.
The main reasons for teaching art & design this way is so that by the end of KS2, pupils are able to:
- Independently manipulate a range of materials, apply the necessary skills and use the techniques they need to produce inventive pieces of art
- Take inspiration from real-life artists (near and far, past and present) and have an understanding of the meaning of art and what it represents within our world today
- Use creative expression and their knowledge of language to share feelings, thoughts or ideas about the meaning behind pieces of art
- Use their sketchbook as a personal record of their creative abilities and uniqueness.
Our Curriculum Documents
Toft Hill Primary School Whole school Art LTP
