Art at St.John's

Art and Design 

School Vision (Intent, Implementation, Impact): 

At St John’s C of E Primary, it is our intent that we implement our vision of John 10:10 through all areas of school life, including the curriculum.  

“I came that they have life and have it abundantly” John 10:10 

“Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.” – National Curriculum 2014

Intent:

The aim of our Art curriculum is to nurture an exploratory attitude towards creativity that children can take with them as they grow. Children should value the journey of creativity over or alongside the outcome and in turn create an ‘artistic identity’ where they feel confident to share their exploration and thoughts. They will learn to appreciate and respect that others may have different experiences and opinions to theirs. Children will learn that Art is a physical as well as a mental activity. They will understand that everyone has the ability to create and make, to manipulate and contribute to the world, for their own enjoyment and for that of others.  

Implementation

Out Art curriculum offers rich opportunities to develop the children’s creativity and imagination using visual, sensory and tactile experiences; delivered through a holistic curriculum which nurtures creative thinking skills and helps ensure pupils learn through Art as well as about Art. Children work with many different mediums to develop and enhance skills as they progress through the school and by the time they leave the school, will feel as if they have found an area of Art that is relevant and engaging to them (their ‘artistic identity’). This may be through drawing, making, designing or talking about Art. By combining technical skills with the contextual and conceptual understanding, our curriculum helps ensure every pupil feels entitled to embrace their own creativity as something which is important to them, and something which is valued by society. 

Our curriculum is based on ‘strands’ which allow children to explore different areas of Art and build progressively on their knowledge and skills as they make their journey through school. The strands are:

· Painting

· Drawing

· Sculpture and form

· Printing

· Textiles

· Collage

Throughout these strands, the children explore different artists and learn how to respond to art, speaking about their thoughts and feelings and making comparisons between different works and their own.

Impact

By the time the children leave Year 6, they should understand the relevance of Art within society and the impact it has. They will leave feeling confident in their ‘artistic identity’ and with an understanding that Art is subjective to each person. They will be able to talk about famous artists and offer opinions on the artist's work and talk enthusiastically about Art and what it means to them. They will be able to select and use different mediums and techniques appropriate for the artwork they are creating.  

We believe our Art curriculum embodies many of our school values including joy, love, patience, quality, appreciation, freedom and perseverance. It is our intent to develop a love and joy of learning in Art and Design, allowing children the freedom to express their own personal style through appreciation of famous artists and evaluation of their own work. Art and Design is used cross-curricular and is often implemented to explore different cultures and religions.