“There is no must in art because art is free.” – Wassily Kandinsky
At Heaton Park Primary School, we believe that Art and Design prepares our children to think creatively, communicate and experiment. It encourages them to explore ideas and produce creative work. We use the Kapow Art and Design Scheme of Work, combined with the Kapow Design and Technology curriculum.
Aims:
- To support our school’s values and ethos ‘Be Kind and Respectful.’
- To ensure pupils leave as ‘well rounded’ confident individuals.
- To utilize the outdoor learning environment of our onsite forest school/treehouse area.
- To teach our pupils the history of our local community.
Life skills we Develop:
- Confidence
- Social skills
- Stress management
- Emotional awareness
- Communication skills
- Resilience
- Problem solving
End points of the Art and Design Curriculum:
By the end of year 6 pupils will be able to produce creative work, exploring ideas and reflecting on their process. Children will become proficient in drawing, painting, 3D form and other craft and design techniques. They will be able to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design. Children will also know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Intent
At Heaton Park Primary School our intent is to ensure all pupils produce creative and imaginative work. Children have the opportunity to explore their ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluate different creative ideas. Children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, 3D form, as well as other selected craft skills e.g. textiles, collage, pattern and printing. Children will also develop their interest and curiosity about art and design through a series of lessons offering skills progression, knowledge progression and offering children the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. The lessons taught offer children the opportunity to develop their emotional expression through art and in turn further enhance their personal, social and emotional development.
Knowledge and Skills Heaton Park Primary School aims to impart at each key stage:
Early Years Foundation Stage
During EYFS pupils explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, texture, form and function. They use what they have learnt about techniques and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. Children will represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through art.
KS1
During KS1 pupils are taught to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products. They will share their ideas, experiences and imagination through drawing, painting and 3D form. All children in KS1 have a sketchbook and Art/DT scrapbook within which they keep a record of their work. Children will develop a wide range of techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. Children will also explore the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers. They will be describing the differences and similarities between different practises and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
KS2
During KS2 pupils are taught to develop their techniques, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. Children in KS2 improve their art and design techniques with a range of materials, building upon prior learning. Like KS1, KS2 record their work within sketchbooks and Art/DT scrapbooks. In addition to reviewing and revisiting ideas, children in KS2 explore and learn about great artists and designers in history.
Implementation
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.
Our Art and Design scheme of work is designed with four strands that run throughout each year group. These are:
- Making skills
- Formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluating
Each key stage focuses on different themes to ensure continued interest in the subject as well as acquiring new knowledge. The lessons that are taught develop children’s techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness in different kinds of art craft and design. As children progress through the school, they are presented with opportunities to develop these skills, as they are revisited and built upon, which also embeds into their long term memory. Children are also taught about the history of art and artists at Heaton Park Primary school. Therefore children know how art and design both reflects and shapes our history, and contributes to the culture of creativity and wealth of our nation. Whilst learning about the history of art and artist, teachers use questioning to assess children’s understanding of what has been taught which also allows the teacher to acknowledge and address any misconceptions. Our specific lessons for each year group offer structure and narrative.
Teachers assess children’s knowledge, understanding and skills in Art and design by making observations of the children working during lessons. As well as being taught various techniques, children are also encouraged to analyse their own work, trying to establish what is working and what isn’t, what they need to develop and what their next steps should be. This assessment is a healthy experience for children where they are then able to take creative decisions and learn from their mistakes as well as developing their ideas and skills.
At Heaton Park Primary School we are incredibly lucky to have our own fantastic forest school on site which consists of a treehouse, outdoor workshop, vegetable allotment, a pond and cooking area. Using this holistic approach supports the development of children’s Art and Design skills; providing an opportunity for child-lead learning through exploration, discovery, creativity and interaction with the natural world.
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” – Stephen Hawking
Impact
At Heaton Park Primary school we strive to inspire an appreciation and enjoyment of the arts, enriching the children’s learning experience. Our Art and design curriculum is designed in such a way that children are involved in the evaluation, dialogue and decision making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make. By taking part in regular discussions and decision-making processes, children will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to talk confidently about their own learning journey, have good metacognitive skills and have a growing understanding of how to improve.
The Impact of Art and Design at Heaton Park Primary School is constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and/ or end of the unit.
Pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be creative and ‘well rounded’ members of society.
The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work is that children 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 great 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.
