“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.”
Primary National Curriculum for Art and Design, 2014
ART and DESIGN CURRICULUM STATEMENT
At Alfriston, we wish to inspire, engage and challenge pupils by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art. As they move up through the school, children will build on their skills and develop an understanding of art and design over different times and cultures. We want to give children the opportunity to explore and develop their own creativity, seeing themselves as artists, as well as learning about a range of local and international artists, craft-makers and designers.
OUR CURRICULUM INTENT FOR ART & DESIGN
With these aspirations, our intentions for the Art & Design curriculum are:
- For children to produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
- To support children in becoming proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- To develop skills that allow children to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- To gain important knowledge about great artists, craft-makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR INTENTIONS
At Alfriston Primary School, we use Kapow Primary’s Art & Design scheme to support our delivery. The Kapow Art & Design scheme of work is designed to match the aims of the national curriculum:
- Generating ideas
- Using sketchbooks
- Making skills, including the formal elements of art (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern and colour)
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluating and analysing
The units of lessons allow our children to build upon their skills and knowledge and applying them to a range of projects. The formal elements are also woven throughout the units. Key skills are regularly revisited with increasing complexity using a spiral curriculum model. Units are organised into four core areas:
- Drawing
- Painting and mixed media
- Sculpture and 3D
- Craft and design
The units of Kapow Primary’s Art & Design support age-appropriate sequenced learning and can be used in cross-curricular activities across the school. Creativity and independent learning are embedded within the curriculum which enables the children to create their own unique pieces of art.
The Early Years Foundation Stage uses the Kapow Art & Design scheme of work, in line with the whole school, alongside continuous provision opportunities to support the children's emerging needs and interests. This combination of careful planning provides all children with the key skills and knowledge to succeed in Key Stage 1. Teachers use quality interactions and 'in the moment planning' to draw out children's next steps and adapt provision as required to provide both challenge and support.
Art & Design is taught alternatively with Design & Technology. In our Key Stage 1 and 2 classes, it is delivered over a two-year cycle to ensure that all skills and knowledge are delivered to all our year groups. Each lesson is approximately 1.5 hours long per week with added time when needed to complete projects. Skills and knowledge taught in Art & Design are referred to across other curriculum subjects.
Each lesson is very practical and encourages experimental and exploratory learning using sketchbooks to document their ideas. Lessons can be accessed by all children and there are opportunities to stretch children’s learning when required. Knowledge organisers are used to support the delivery of the units of lessons which also encourage recall of skill processes, key facts and vocabulary.
Kapow’s scheme also supports the core professional development of teachers by including multiple teacher videos to develop their skills and knowledge before teaching them to a high standard and ensuring that each child makes progression.
Staff have access to an Art cupboard as well as general art supplies in their classroom which include all the resources needed for their projects. There is a robust system is in place to manage the replenishment of resources.
