Art and Design at Whitehouse Primary
Intent
Every child at Whitehouse Primary is recognised as a unique individual: we celebrate individuality and welcome difference within our unique school community.
It is our aim to provide our children with a curriculum that is aspirational for all with every child’s ability to learn underpinned by the good teaching of basic skills, knowledge, personal wellbeing, individual challenge and values that will prepare our children for life beyond primary school.
At Whitehouse Primary School, we believe that Art and Design enables children to express their creativity, feelings and imagination and plays an important role in our children’s education. We want our children to foster an enjoyment and appreciation of art and the art environment around them, as well as learn about well-known artists and artists linked to their topics. We teach the children a skills based curriculum, with individuality and creativeness flowing through everything they do.
Through a progressive curriculum, 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. In every year group, children will learn about a variety of artists who may underpin the style of art the children will study, alongside many different skills that they will be able to develop throughout school.
Teaching of Art and Design in Early Years Foundation Stage
In Early years, Art and Design plays a very important role in their development. Children are taught to represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music and dance.
They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Teaching of Art in Key Stage 1
Pupils are taught:
- To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
- 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.
- To describe what they think about their work and of others.
Teaching of Art in Key Stage 2
Pupils build on their learning in Key Stage 1 and 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 further develop their 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.
- To regularly analyse and reflect on their progress taking account of what they hoped to achieve.
Children are also offered the chance to attend an art afterschool club to develop a further interest and a positive attitude towards Art and Design.
Art and Design also reinforces and embeds our Meta-Reflective approach to learning that is embedded throughout the curriculum at Whitehouse Primary. It is an inspiring and creative subject requiring resourcefulness and imagination. Children are encouraged to be reflective, evaluate their own work and that of others and think about how they improve. Children learn to accept and respond to feedback and critique, take risks, persevere and build resilience.
Implementation
Art and Design is taught in all year groups through one to two topics per term. Activities are taught in a variety of ways across the school, sometimes in blocks of taught time e.g. Art Week. Areas covered include: contracts and complements, tints tones and shades, line light and shadows, funny faces and fabulous features, portraits and poses, still life, prehistoric pots, mosaic masters, statues statuettes and figurines, environmental artists, trailblazers and mixed media. Appropriate units of work are planned with some art projects linking to other subjects taught such as history, geography, science, and design technology.
Art and Design activities are planned to ensure continuity and progression across school by building on four different areas: knowledge and understanding, generating ideas, making and evaluating. Teachers will adapt planning and resources as necessary to reflect the children’s understanding and their varying needs.
Impact
We measure the impact of our Art and Design curriculum with various formative methods of assessments including self and peer assessment. Children have the opportunity to develop a range of skills, using different materials and media, in which they can share and express their creativity. By participating in the progressive sequence of lessons to develop skills, children will be able to broaden their artistic knowledge and be exposed to a wide range of vocabulary in order to reflect and evaluate their work and the work of others.
Impact is further measured through the following methods:
- Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
- Photo evidence of participation in 3D art work.
- Learning walks and reflective staff feedback (teacher voice)
- Progress of skills, across school, seen during book reviews.
- Governor monitoring with our subject Art and Design link governor.
