At Southcote Primary School, we value Art and Design as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Art and Design provides the children with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas. We believe this will prepare children for lifelong learning helping them soar to success.

A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment invent and express themselves through their own works of art. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a wider understanding and appreciation or art history. They should also know how art could both reflect and shape the history and culture of a nation.

The aim of teaching Art is:

The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• To encourage all children to produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
• To become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
• To valuate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
• To know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
• The Art curriculum is inclusive and allows all children, including SEND children, to experience success in Art. 

In addition to the above we aim that art is not taught in isolation, wherever possible it is linked to other areas of the curriculum.

Curriculum Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art and Design Curriculum at Southcote Primary School is based on the National Curriculum and linked to termly themes to ensure a well-structured approach to this subject. Children develop artistic skills each year building on their prior knowledge and motor skills. We can all be artists!

At Southcote we work and to ensure that art lessons are integrated within our termly topics and often form the initial hook to engage and excite children at the very start of a topic. The children are involved in making authentic cave art, Ancient Greeks pottery, Great Fire of London model houses, mosaics, self-portraits and many more!

The children’s learning is further enhanced with whole school theme days and events when the children have the opportunity for collaborative working across different year groups and exploring the different styles and techniques of a range or artists. Where possible we go on trips and have visitors that come into our classrooms to share their expertise and skills. We enjoy working with the local community and have produced art to support local initiatives.

Resources

Children have access to a wide variety of art resources such as sketching materials, collage, clay, paints, pastels and natural resources.

Oracy

At Southcote we encourage children to express their own feelings and understand the motivations of other artists through their art practice and small group and class discussions. Through interpreting the work of other with our children, we also hope to nourish a deeper sense of empathy.

Impact

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

 Pupil Voice and Learning Walks

Through discussion and feedback, children talk enthusiastically about their art lessons and other cross-curricular (e.g. theme days). Children across the school articulate well about the benefits of learning about artists and being creative.

Evidence in Knowledge

Pupils know how and why it is important to learn and develop creative skills. Pupils know how art and design has shaped and contributed to history and culture.

Evidence in Skills

Pupils use acquired vocabulary in lessons. Pupils understand and demonstrate artistic skills through work produced. Each class has a class sketchbook for portfolio of what the class has been doing, including photos of displays and children’s work. Each child has an individual sketchbook to show the progression of each skill (e.g. self-portrait at the beginning of each academic year to show the progression of drawing /colour mixing experimentation and any other preliminary studies).

Breadth and Depth

Teachers plan a range of opportunities to use art skills and knowledge through creative and inspiring sessions inside and outside of the classroom. Children will build upon skills learned year on year.

Scheme of Work

We follow the Kapow Scheme of Work for Art and are unable to publish the scheme unless it is password protected due to copyright.

The Progression of Art document is available so please contact us if you would like to receive a paper copy.