Intent
At Wolsingham Primary school, we aim to provide children with an excellent art and design education. We engage, inspire and challenge children, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to participate in, experiment with, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. Children and young people will be consistently given the opportunity to think creatively and critically.
Children will engage with different media, explore colour and pattern, work in 2 and 3 dimensions and research some of the famous artists of past and present.
Implementation
Our Art scheme of work is designed with five strands that run throughout. These strands are:
- Generating ideas
- Using sketchbooks
- Makings skills, including formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluating and analysing
Children build their skills and knowledge, applying them in a range of outcomes. The formal elements of the National Curriculum are woven throughout units and key skills are revisited continuously with increasing complexity. The learning from these units is then applied in further units taught each year. This allows pupils to revisit, revise and build on previous learning by:
- Exploring a range of famous local, national and international artists.
- Engaging in whole school ‘Big Art’ days team events and ‘Arts Week’ when the children have the opportunity for collaborative working and exploring the different styles and techniques of a range of artists.
- Learning how to make their own creative choices and decisions, so that their art outcomes are unique and individual to the pupil.
- Developing their interest and curiosity about art and design through opportunities to ask questions and discuss different works of art.
- Experimenting and exploring skills and knowledge by documenting their ideas and recording their observations in sketchbooks.
The art and design curriculum develops the priorities for pupils at Wolsingham Primary School in the following ways:
Basic skills
- Communication, Vocabulary and Writing: Children improve their ability to explain their ideas and thoughts about their art through discussions and reflections, expand their vocabulary as learn more about the work of a range of artists and using terms like line, shape, tone, and texture and through the use of sketchbooks to help them practice writing and organising their ideas, improving their ability to express themselves clearly in writing (although writing does not become a barrier to any child being able to express themselves).
- Shapes and patterns, measurement, and spatial awareness: When exploring art, children will work with shapes, symmetry, and patterns, which helps them understand basic geometry. Children will practice measuring proportions and scale when creating artwork with drawing and designing helping children improve their understanding of space and how objects fit together to tie into concepts like distance, size, and positioning in maths.
Resilience and Perseverance
- Overcoming challenges: By engaging in creative processes such as generating ideas and experimenting with techniques, children will learn that not every artwork will be perfect on the first attempt. The repetition and revision involved in using sketchbooks and applying new skills will help them develop persistence, as they must keep trying different methods to refine their work.
- Problem-solving: Evaluating and analysing their art (and the work of others) will require children to think critically about how to improve their techniques or resolve issues they encounter. This will help them develop a resilient mindset, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn and grow.
Social Awareness
- Collaboration: The opportunity for collaborative work during “Big Art” days, team events and ‘Arts Week’ helps children build important social skills. They learn to work as part of a team, communicate ideas, and share responsibility in a creative environment. This fosters empathy, respect for others’ ideas, and the ability to collaborate effectively.
- Exploration of diverse perspectives: Through exposure to famous local, national, and international artists, children will understand a wider range of cultural, social, and historical contexts, helping them become more socially aware of different experiences and viewpoints.
- Individual creative expression: Encouraging children to make their own creative choices allows them to develop their own identity and voice, helping them understand the value of individuality within a broader societal context.
Knowledge
- Development of technical skills: The focus on formal elements such as line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, and colour will build children’s knowledge of how to manipulate art materials. This knowledge grows progressively as they revisit key concepts, allowing them to develop a deeper understanding of how to create more sophisticated pieces of art.
- Understanding of art history: Through learning about a variety of artists, children will gain knowledge of different artistic movements, techniques, and cultural significance. This will enrich their understanding of how art has evolved and how they can incorporate elements of history and culture into their own work.
- Reflective learning: The process of documenting ideas and observations in sketchbooks reinforces the importance of self-reflection, critical thinking, and making connections between their own work and broader artistic concepts.
Impact
As children progress through the art curriculum at Wolsingham Primary School they will:
- Produce creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences.
- Be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
- Evaluate and analyse creative works using subject-specific language.
- Know about artists and the historical and cultural development of their art.
- Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the national curriculum for art and design.
Art in the Early Years
An artist in the early years will develop an understanding of colours and how colours can be mixed to create a new colour. They will learn lots of new techniques such as how to hold a paintbrush, and paint effectively, leading to drawing representations of people and events, giving meaning to the early marks that they make. They will explore and be exposed to a variety of different techniques for example, stamping, painting, sponging, chalks, charcoal and many other media to represent their artistic thoughts and ideas. All learning will include children learning how to use tools and techniques safely, competently and appropriately, considering and managing some risks. Children will enjoy role-play, taking on different roles, dressing up and using language that they have seen through experiences at home and school. Children will develop a preference for forms of expression, including art, music, dance, role-play and stories, using what they have learnt in original ways. They will play alongside other children, developing and acting out a narrative. A lot of learning in the early years takes place through purposeful play, both indoors and outdoors.