Art
Intent
At St. Leonard’s, art and design helps to stimulate children’s creativity and imagination. We provide a high-quality art and design curriculum which inspires, engages and challenges children. Our art lessons are a place where children have the freedom to work independently with curiosity to explore and express their own ideas. This enables the children to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form and pattern. They explore ideas and meaning through the work of artists and designers, which helps them to learn about the diverse history and cultures of art. Children learn about a variety of artists and designers that reflect the diversity of our world today. At St. Leonards, children are given the chance to ask questions about art in order to learn from art to created inspired pieces. In art lessons, children are given the chance to look at and discuss different art work so that they are inspired to develop their artistic style and techniques knowing that everyone is an artist
We ensure that art and design is embedded into our whole school curriculum so children are provided with opportunities to enhance their learning through art. Our children are taught art and design through a progression of skills, following a sequence that acknowledges the importance of previous learning. The children respect and value their own and others work and have high expectations of their final pieces. We create opportunities for oracy and communication through art vocabulary that the children build on each year.
“Art is not just a subject to learn, but an activity that you can practise with your hands, your eyes, your whole personality.”’
Quentin Blake
Implementation
Our art and design curriculum is designed with five strands that run throughout. These are:
- Generating ideas
- Using sketchbooks
- Making skills (including the formal elements – line, shape, tone, texture, pattern and colour)
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluating and analysing
The units of work are sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge, applying them to a range of outcomes. The formal elements, a key part of the National Curriculum, are also woven throughout the units. Key skills are revising again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Each year group completes three of the four core areas below:
- Drawing
- Painting and mixed-media
- Sculpture and 3D
- Craft and Design
Lessons are always practical and encourage children to be experimental and exploratory in their learning by using sketchbooks to document their ideas and develop them further. During lessons, children learn about and from a range of diverse artists to help them develop their own artistic style as well as enabling them to be able to reflect upon and discuss art in a considered way.
Art lessons are planned based on KAPOW Primary Art scheme which has been adapted to reflect our curriculum drivers and school vision. It is taught every other half term.
Art Overview
Year 3 Ancient Egyptian artwork
EYFS - Paint My World, exploring paint and painting techniques.
Year 4 have been inquiring by exploring how artists create tints and shades.
Year 4 have been inspired by artists use of tone. They have created their own power prints.
Year 3 have worked independently to create abstract 3D Sculptures from 2D shapes.
Year 2 have loved sharing their independent work of stories through drawings to their parents.
Year 1 have worked independently in their sculpture and 3D unit creating 3D structures out of paper.
Reception children have worked hard inquiring and learning about all the different ways clay can be manipulated. They have used this knowledge to create clay animals.
England class enjoying mixing colours in the outside provision
Year 1 - Exploring line and mark making
