Art

Conifers Primary School

Art & Design Curriculum

At Conifers Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Art and Design provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas.

Art, craft and design 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.

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.

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Conifers Primary School is based on the National Curriculum and supported by a skills-based approach. The children are taught Art as part of their termly topic work. The work of famous local, national and international artists are explored to enhance the children's learning.

Children’s well-being and mental health is of paramount importance to us at Conifers Primary School. The Arts are also used as part of our ELSA and Thrive Work.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have opportunities to learn to:

Explore the textures, movement, feel and look of different media and materials
Respond to a range of media and materials, develop their understanding of them in order to manipulate and create different effects.
Use different media and materials to express their own ideas
Explore colour and use for a particular purpose
Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately
Select appropriate media and techniques and adapt their work where necessary

Key stage 1

Pupils are taught:

To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
About the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work

Key stage 2

Pupils are taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils are taught:

To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
About great artists, architects and designers in history.

Ongoing assessments take place throughout the year and at the end of each topic. Teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately.

Children in Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked termly using DC Pro and Tapestry. Age related expectation levels are reported to parents at the end of the reception year.

The children’s work is celebrated throughout our school displays.