Subject Leader: Mrs C Stannard 

Intent 

In our teaching of art at Pikemere School, we aim to develop and extend our children's visual curiosity, creativity, enquiry and aesthetic sensitivity to both the natural and synthetic world. Our curriculum enables our children to respond and enjoy expressing their ideas, feelings and imagination using visual media and practical manipulative skills. Children work individually and within a group to also develop social and personal skills. A high-quality art and design education intends to engage and inspire children, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. They should also know how art and design contributes, shapes and reflects our history.

This intent is underpinned by the following: 

Progression of skills: 

• To produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their own experiences
• To become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• To evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• To find out about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms
• To understand how design has shaped the way we live today and how key areas of history have impacted on our lives
• To understand how design is always adapting to meet our changing needs.

Application of skills: 

Children know how and why it is important to learn and develop creative skills. Children know how art and design has shaped and contributed to history.

Vocabulary: 

Children will understand and use appropriate vocabulary related to the topic and skills being taught. The use of a rich purposeful vocabulary is a fundamental part of teaching within Art and Design and is explicitly taught and progressive throughout our school.

Implementation

Children develop artistic skills each year building on their prior knowledge. They are taught about historical and cultural development, learning about significant artists and designers. Children have opportunities to create works of art, explore ideas and evaluate creative works using the language of art and design. Children have access to a wide variety of art resources and techniques. They are encouraged to use their sketch books as a visual ‘notebook’–a place to record ideas, practise techniques and evaluate their own work.

Well-planned sequences of lessons are used to build on prior knowledge and skills taught and ensure progression is evident in books. Art planning is followed to provide progression based around a specific art skill which is influenced by a specific artist and the end point piece of art is created. We continually review and evaluate the quality of the Art and Design curriculum, ensuring it is implemented appropriately and that a variety of teaching and learning styles are implemented to ensure art and design lessons are accessible to all children. 

Sequence of Learning

Each unit at Pikemere follows the sequence outlined below: 

1. Research and develop ideas: take inspiration from artists, observe and imitate their style, and then develop ideas in sketchbooks. Look at a range of artwork, artefacts, etc. by specific artists. Older children should find out about great artists throughout history, researching their life and work, as well as how they inspired other artists.
2. Sketchbook experimenting: children have their own images stuck into their sketch books of their focus artist/ designer
3. Explore and develop skills and techniques: experiment with chosen media, colour, materials, etc. and imitate the style of specific artists. Practise techniques.
4. Master techniques and develop ideas: apply and use technical skills to plan from observation or imagination (in sketchbook) and then produce a final piece for display.
5. Evaluating: evaluate their own and others’ work; annotating within a sketchbook or making notes on post its. Photographs of the final piece in sketchbooks, to go with the evaluation and to support their judgements.

Impact

By the end of each key stage, children are expected to know, apply and understand the principles, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. Children collate their ideas and progression in their sketchbooks, which provide valuable evidence of the impact of art skills’ progression.

We measure the impact of our curriculum in the following ways: 

Pupil Voice: Through discussion and feedback, children talk enthusiastically about their art lessons and other cross-curricular lessons (e.g. themed days). Children across the school articulate well about the benefits of learning about artists and being creative. 

Evidence in knowledge: Children know how and why it is important to learn and develop creative skills. They know how art and design has shaped and contributed to history.

Evidence of skills: Children use acquired vocabulary within lessons. They understand and demonstrate artistic skills through the work produced. Children demonstrate a progression of techniques and skills through their sketchbooks.

Breadth and depth: Teachers plan a range of opportunities to use art skills and knowledge through creative and inspiring sessions inside and outside school.