What makes a good Art and Design pupil?

A good art and design pupil is someone who has a strong desire to create a visual form as they are driven by ideas, imagination and personal experiences.

About Art and Design

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.

Why do we teach Art and Design?

At All Saints, we value Art as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. Our Art curriculum develops creativity, sets challenges, engages and inspires children and equips 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 enabling them to create art work with a real purpose in terms when displaying and sharing the work they create and showcasing the skills and progress they have made. They should also know how art and design has help shape the history and contributed to cultures from around the world.

Aims of Art and Design

The national curriculum for art 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.

At the start of each year, children will sketch a still life to provide an accurate baseline of their skills for the teacher.

Teachers use ‘Milestones’ across each medium to help ensure that children are meeting age related expectations. Children will be invited to discuss their work, as well as famous artists, covered throughout the course of the year.

Teachers informally monitor children’s skills in art and adapt lessons accordingly.

Curriculum

At All Saints the teaching of Art is inclusive to every child. Our aims are to: fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum, to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, ensure the progressive development of knowledge and skills, foster enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts andto develop a knowledge of significant and local artists.

The national curriculum for geography aims to ensure that all pupils:

Key Stage 1:

Introduction to the artist/ art form to be studied.
Use a range of materials and media to develop art and design techniques in the style of the subject studied
Evaluate work, making links and comparisons between theirs and the theme studied.
Use sketch books to further develop techniques

Key Stage 2:

Children should be using their sketch books frequently as a place for them to experiment and try out techniques at any point in the school week.
Pupils should be taught to develop their techniques through topic work including their control and use of materials – increasingly being able to decide and choose which materials to use to produce a finished piece.
Pupils will be taught about great artists, architects and designers in history with equal attention being paid to men as well as women artists.

All Saints Catholic Primary School

Art & Design