Art and Design

“If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint” then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”– Vincent Van Gogh

“Creativity takes courage”– Henri Matisse.

Intent

At St Mary Bourne Primary, we believe that art lessons will engage, inspire and challenge children to think creatively. Our intent is to create an Art and Design curriculum that is rich and diverse. Our aim is to allow children to express their individuality, thoughts and ideas alongside building resilience and confidence; equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. They should also know that art and design both reflect and shape our history and contribute to our culture.

Implementation

The Art and Design curriculum is taught through a variety of techniques using a range of media and materials. Creative ideas may link to the other areas of the curriculum children are exposed to, however, can be a stand-alone unit of work.

Children learn the skills of drawing, painting, printing, collage, textiles, 3D work and digital art and are given opportunities to explore and evaluate different creative ideas. These opportunities enable children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. Children work on their own and as well as having opportunities to work collaboratively.

Learning is planned so the pupils have the opportunity to appreciate and discuss the work of iconic artists throughout history over time, and use these as inspiration for their own creative development.

Children are expected to be reflective and evaluate their work, thinking how they can make changes and keep improving.

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.

All children from Year 1 to Year 6 will have a sketchbook which will be used to gather, collect, experiment and reflect. However, sketchbooks will only be used when appropriate in an art lesson. Where practical art work is implemented, photographs will be used to evidence this learning.

Impact

At St Mary Bourne Primary, we believe that through the Art and Design curriculum, the children will recognise that art comes from all walks of life and from every corner of our planet. Our children will know that creativity comes in many different forms and that though we do not always agree, we will agree that everyone has a voice and an opinion about the art that they are either creating or looking at, but will critique the art with respect. At St Mary Bourne Primary, we want our children to see Art and Design as a passage for creativity, developing skills as well as positive well-being. We aim to inspire a curiosity for learning where children are encouraged to strive for excellence and to nurture the natural talents of our children and celebrate those talents and successes.