Art

Proverbs 22:6

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they shall not turn from this.”

Intent

At St Michaels our art curriculum is organised into different artistic disciplines, giving the children opportunities to learn through drawing, painting, printmaking, 3D Sculpture and collage. We have carefully planned our significant artists and designers to ensure all children are inspired and creative learners, recognising art from a range of time periods and cultures. Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity, and we aim to equip learners with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, as well as think critically, developing a more rigorous understanding of art and design.

By the end of Year 6 children will: 

• 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.

Attainment targets

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.

Early Years Building Blocks: 

• Develop their small motor skills so that they can use a range of tools competently, safely and confidently.
• Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings.
• Return to and build on their previous learning, refining ideas and developing their ability to represent them.
• Create collaboratively, sharing ideas, resources and skills.

Implementation

At St Michaels, the units we teach in each year group are organised into core areas:

• Drawing
• Painting
• 3D Sculpture
• Collage
• Printing.

These areas are identified on the long term planning for each year group, and detail a progression of skills in each area. This gives the children the opportunity to refine skills and build on prior knowledge. Teachers are also able to use the progression of skills to differentiate accordingly and offer the right level of challenge. The long term plan also maps out the significant artists to be taught in each year group. This is to ensure exposure to a broad selection of artists, movements, and cultures. Teachers use this long term plan to plan their lessons following a five step process: research (artist study), skills experimentation, design, make, evaluate.

Knowledge organisers are available to support teachers by providing a visual record of the key concepts and techniques that will need to be taught throughout each area. Additional art enrichment days and clubs are woven into the school year.

Impact

The impact of our Art curriculum is currently being evaluated. This is being done through conversations with our pupils (Pupil voice), formal and informal assessments which includes scrutiny of teaching and learning, and observations made in the suite and in classrooms.