Art and Design

Intent  

Appreciate, Participate Innovate

Art and design at Stanmore Primary School interlinks the learning and development of skills within the seven elements of art across the study or a wide variety of art skills. Children use high quality traditional, contemporary and BAME artists from around the globe as inspiration for learning. They are taught the key vocabulary necessary for them to appreciate and participate in the discussion and creation of works, drawing on that which they have previously experienced, both academically and personally. Children explore the purpose, value and influence of art and design over time, seeking to observe how it has changed according to time, place, environment and technological factors. They are taught skills to record observations, practice techniques and innovate new pieces of work, noting key design features. Children use appropriate vocabulary to compare and contrast their work with that of their peers and other artists.

Purpose of study

Art, craft and design embody 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.

Aims

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.

How is this subject planned?

• National Curriculum is taught in KS1 and KS2

• In the Early Years the Foundation Stage Curriculum is taught

• Each year group has termly or half termly projects, each with subject knowledge and skills to be taught

• The National Curriculum for Art is taught through subject specific projects. Where appropriate, there is interconnection between art and other subjects, for example design and technology. The purpose of this is to connect new knowledge with existing knowledge. Pupils also need to develop fluency and unconsciously apply their knowledge as skills.

Implementation

The Stanmore Approach

Our art and design curriculum inspires children across a spectrum of art and design skills and knowledge, making important links to other curriculum areas. These include portraiture and people of significance in Year 2, and clay work inspired by the Beaker Bell folk in Year 3. Children use their geographical and chronological skills to place great artists in time and location, and draw on ‘compare and contrast’ skills taught to discuss their own and others work. They build on mathematical concepts including symmetry and shape, including tessellation in Year 4, and use techniques learnt in ICT to produce and manipulate digital images. The underlying key to unlocking successful cross-curricular links is the teaching, revisiting and use of specific vocabulary that is generalised across different subject areas.

BEST values and Keys for Success 

Art and design supports and develops a range of key learning skills which form our ‘Keys to Success’. Evaluating and discussing their own and others’ work develops co-operation and respect, whilst exploring and refining new skills builds on the keys of persistence, resilience and confidence. Children are encouraged to be independent learners; the organisation of themselves and their resources are essential skills, transferrable across the academic, personal and social curricula.

Inclusion 

To meet the diverse needs of the children, the art and design planning is appropriately adapted to ensure that all children are supported and developed, to enable the building of higher-level skills and techniques. This may include adaptations for physical and sensory needs. To support understanding, a variety of resources are used, including real life objects of reference, visual prompts, texts, and digital examples. The use of visuals supports and develops the understanding and use of subject-based vocabulary so that all children are able to discuss and comment on their own art and that of others appropriately. Opportunities for key projects and competitions are open and accessible to all children, with the necessary adaptations and arrangements made to enable inclusion.

SMSC and British Values

At Stanmore Primary School, all children are encouraged to express themselves through art and design; they analyse and question their own and others’ work, identifying how beliefs, values and meanings are expressed and shared. High quality traditional and contemporary artists are studied, representing different cultures and beliefs, and through different media, spirituality and cultural understanding are built, developing self-identify. They justify their moral views and create rationales conveying their individual messages through their work, including the use of recyclable materials in environmental art. Children work collaboratively on projects - they learn to give and receive feedback to peers appropriately, as well as sharing their work with wider audiences within the community.

Oracy

At Stanmore we use Art Knowledge Organisers to teach subject specific art and design vocabulary, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary.  We use a range of approaches to introduce new vocabulary. This includes repeated practice in different contexts, for example paired and group work and retrieval practice. Children are expected to use to use the specific vocabulary taught in their written and spoken language. We encourage children to ask questions and discuss their learning using ‘agree, build challenge’ (ABC) to enable the teacher to build on and extend children’s thinking.

Impact

How is this subject assessed

• By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the content, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study of the National Curriculum. Teachers make assessments using the art knowledge organiser and through the innovate challenge. Teachers keep track of any children who are not meeting the year group expectations.

• Assessment of Art is reported to parents in the annual report.

How is this subject monitored

• The subject leader is responsible for monitoring the planning, teaching and assessment of the subject. This is triangulated through book looks, pupil conferencing, learning walks and discussions with teachers

• Governors carry out regular monitoring visits in school and update the Full Governing Body through Governor Visit reports.

Pupil Voice

“I added more red to make a new hue.”
- Year 2

“We mixed tertiary colours, which means we made orange and then added more yellow or more red.”
- Year 3

“I enjoyed learning how to sketch and using the chalk and charcoals. It was hard because it smudged. Next time, I’ll take more time and do fewer smudges.”
- Year 5

“Everyone can join in art - it is very inclusive and you can show your strengths. You can show your skills in different ways.”
- Year 6

The art and design projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s skills and knowledge of visual elements, art forms, artists and art movements.

Projects are placed alongside other subject projects where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections. For example, Beautiful Botanicals has been placed in the same teaching sequence as the science project Plant Nutrition and Reproduction.

Where possible, projects with similar materials are spaced out to have as little strain on resources as possible. For example, in Key Stage 1, clay work is taught in different terms.

Seasons are also a consideration for the placement of art and design projects. For example, if children are required to work outdoors, these projects have been placed in either the latter part of the spring or summer term.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Mixing Colours in Year 1 and Exploring Colours in Year 2). Teaching these projects enables children to be introduced to and then revisit colour mixing and the colour wheel with plentiful opportunities for the children to explore primary and secondary colours and hues.

In Year 1, children explore themes directly related to the children themselves, such as their facial features, the surrounding natural world and their local community. In Year 2, the projects expand children’s artistic horizons to study a more comprehensive range of artists, artistic movements and creative techniques.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Lower Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour Theory in Year 3 and Warm and Cool Colours in Year 4). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their previous understanding of colour and further develop their expertise by studying tertiary, analogous and complementary colours with many opportunities for the children to explore warm and cool colours.

In Year 3, children expand their experiences to study a broader range of art forms, artists and genres. They also begin to study art from specific and diverse periods of history, including prehistoric pottery and Roman mosaics. Other genres studied in Year 3 build on previous techniques learned in Key Stage 1 and include more complex techniques in printmaking, drawing, painting and textiles.

In Year 4, children develop more specialised techniques in drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. They explore ways in which ancient cultures have influenced art and crafts by studying, for example, medieval weaving techniques and the religious significance of Islamic art.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Upper Key Stage 2, each autumn term begins with essential skills and knowledge projects (Colour in Landscapes in Year 5 and Colour and Style in Year 6). Teaching these projects enables children to build on their previous understanding of colour theory and develop further expertise with colour by studying tints, shades and tones and more complex colour palettes.

In Year 5, children develop and combine more complex artistic techniques in a range of genres, including drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Children continue to build on their understanding of other historical periods and cultures by studying the ancient Chinese art form of taotie and the significance of the Expressionist movement.

In Year 6, children are encouraged to work more independently in projects like Environmental Artists and Distortion and Abstraction. Such projects require them to consider more conceptual representations of personal, environmental, social or political messaging. Children explore diversity in art by studying the projects Inuit and Trailblazers, Barrier Breakers.

Throughout the art and design scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum programmes of study. CurriculumPRO allows you to interrogate the sequencing of curriculum aspects and concepts, vocabulary and connectivity of the art and design scheme with other curriculum subjects.

Year R / 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6