Art at St Mark's

"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. 

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.”

The National Curriculum

Key Concepts and Big Ideas

• 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.

INTENT

At St Mark’s CE Primary School, we strive to create an Art curriculum that engages and inspires children to express their individual creativity and to produce their own works of art. Creativity is encouraged from the very beginning of our children’s school experience. Within EYFS, children are immersed in art in a child-initiated way, through Expressive Arts and Design. Across Years 1 to 6, children are provided with opportunities to experience a variety of media and techniques, and are introduced to influential artists and craft makers from around the world, both past and present. Within Key Stage 2, our Art curriculum continues to develop and equip the children with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices, think critically about their own artwork and that of others, and to work with increased independence.

IMPLEMENTATION

We follow the National Curriculum for Art and have created a Long Term Plan, where progression of skills is carefully sequenced following the Scheme of Work. Medium Term Plans ensure that each year group’s objectives are selected to build upon the learning that took place in the previous year, whilst continuing to prepare them for the coming year too. Areas taught in Art include, Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Appreciation and Evaluation, and also How art is influenced by the time, place and the culture in which it was made.Teachers are not only aware of what they must teach each half term, but also of what the children already know, and what they will need to know in the coming years. Art is taught as a discrete subject.  

Short term planning includes provision made for children with SEND, so their needs are met fully. We pride ourselves on providing learning opportunities that are accessible and ambitious for all learners, enabling all children to make progress and have a sense of achievement. We achieve this through sequential planning, allowing skills to be scaffolded and extended as appropriate. We also create an ethos of not being afraid to make ‘mistakes,’ but instead, for children to be risk-takers, problem solvers and to develop resilience.

IMPACT

The impact of our Long and Medium Term Plans will be monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Within Art, formative assessment occurs throughout the learning process and through conversations with children. Progress can also be demonstrated through the use of sketchbooks to record ideas, reflections, analysis of artists and development of technical skills. We have created Art Assessment sheets for teachers to use at the end of each half term based on the key skills and knowledge that has been taught.  Within EYFS, teachers will use the assessment outcomes for Expressive Arts and Design: ‘Exploring and Using Media and Materials’ and ‘Being Imaginative’.

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

We take every opportunity to invite specialists in this subject into school in order to demonstrate their particular skills, or to talk to the children, whilst also showcasing our work to a wider audience. Each year we take part in the following :-

• Purbeck Arts Week Exhibition of work at Rollington Barn.
• Harvest Art and DT Exhibition at St Marks.
• During Purbeck Arts Week we invite artists/designers into school to lead workshops with the children.
• Close links with the Art/DT department at The Swanage School with opportunities to collaborate.
• Whole school Creative Day.