Art provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences for all pupils. It deepens children’s understanding by providing opportunities to reinforce and enhance learning through a range of progressive skills and vocabulary relating to specific art forms (drawing, painting, collage, textiles, 3D and digital). Art and Design provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thought and ideas. It embodies some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
Implementation
Our art curriculum provides a clear and comprehensive scheme of work that covers breadth and shows progression of skills across all key stages. The children are given opportunities to present their sense of vision through observation, experimentation and illustration. Pupils are encouraged to use their imagination through a wide variety of media, including digital media, and manipulative skills are developed as well as an awareness of colour, texture, design and dimension. With access to key knowledge, language and meanings, children will be able to apply this to their work in Art and across the wider curriculum. There will be, where applicable, links to develop the children’s learning experiences, which could take the form of whole school workshops or be linked to a wider cross curricular project. Teachers plan the teaching of skills, leading to a final piece of artwork to be produced/displayed and shared at the end of each topic. Pupils are given the chance to represent observations, ideas and feelings through design and making images; ask and answer questions; investigate the possibilities of using a range of materials and processes; use and develop techniques with colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space; evaluate and reflect on different art work (including their own and others) and learn about a range of different artists, craft makers and designers in history.
Impact
The Art and Design curriculum at Battle Hill Primary stimulates and enriches creativity, imagination and skills, while enhancing personal, social and emotional development. It helps children increase confidence, self-esteem and an appreciation and enjoyment of many art forms. It allows many opportunities to use visual language skilfully and convincingly (eg shape, line, pattern) and to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form. It increases the ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination and to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media. Pupils are encouraged to work with independence, initiative and originality which allows them to develop their creativity. They learn how to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their work and that of others. Children experience memorable and relevant opportunities to develop skills while considering the impact of art, both as an expression of feeling, to commemorate special events and to celebrate our local area.