Art

Vision

Art is an important part of developing our children’s ability to develop their individual creativity, express their ideas and understanding and to work both individually and collaboratively with others. Each teacher plans art lessons, which aim to ensure that children can develop key skills using specific media. The importance of Art is evident through our yearly Art Exhibition, in which all children contribute to, focusing on a skill or aspect of Art. We have a link with a local art gallery/theatre where the children contribute to an exhibition each December and have the opportunity to view exhibitions and discuss artists and sculptors work. Artists, photographers and designers visit our schools to discuss their work, explain techniques and provide an opportunity for children to participate and learn new skills. Our aim is to ensure that children are confident approaching artwork, feel a strong sense of achievement, value the impact of art within our own lives and can reach their full potential.

Intent

At the Nar Valley Federation, we believe that art is a vital part of children’s education and has a significant and valuable role in the taught curriculum, as well as the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils. The art curriculum will develop children’s critical abilities and understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritages through studying a diverse range of male and female artists from all over the world. Children will develop their understanding of the visual language of art with effective teaching and considered sequences of lessons and experiences. Understanding of the visual elements of art and design (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D form) will be developed by providing a curriculum which will enable children to reach their full potential. We will enable this through lessons that build up skills over a half term, recording these steps in their sketchbooks with the aim of producing a final piece of artwork, that can be evaluated by them, peers and their teacher alongside how an artist may have influenced their own style. By doing so, pupils will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines and skills taught, accessing inspiration from artists, sculptors and craft makers throughout history and to the present day.

Design & Technology

Vision

Design Technology prepares children to deal with tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. It encourages children to become independent, creative problem-solvers and thinkers as individuals and as part of a team - making positive changes to their quality of life. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond to them by developing a range of ideas and by making products and systems. Through the study of Design and technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functions and industrial practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and its impacts. Design and Technology helps all children to become astute and informed future consumers and potential innovators.

Intent

Our intent is that pupils use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Each child will develop, evaluate and improve through lessons that build up skills over a half term, recording these steps in their sketchbooks with the aim of producing a final product that can be evaluated by them, peers and their teacher alongside how an architect / designer may have influenced their own style. By doing so, pupils will acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Where they can access reference points from architects, programmers and craft makers who have been innovative and influenced design and technology throughout the world.

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.

Aims

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

Attainment targets

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

Key stage 1

Pupils are taught to:

• to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination
• to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work

Key stage 2

Pupils should be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.

Pupils are taught to:

• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas
• to improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay]
• about great artists, architects and designers in history