Art
We are Artists
Intent
At Amesbury CE Primary School, we want our children to love Art. We value Art as an important element of each child’s learning journey; we provide for them opportunities to produce creative and imaginative work; to explore their ideas and experiences as well as evaluate the work of peers and noted artists. Through their learning, our children will grow in confidence and proficiency in a variety of practical techniques, and as well as in their skills progression. Children will develop more curiosity, knowledge and understanding of the artists they study. Our curriculum aims to engage, inspire and challenge; we want children to experiment with a variety of media; to be inventive and to develop an ambitious focus on what Art can do for them. In addition, we at Amesbury are keen to deepen children’s learning by connecting Art to how it has contributed to shaping our shared, global cultural history. Alongside everything we do, we continually embed our values of: kindness, dignity and endurance into the teaching of art.
What is the point in being an Artist?
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 aims of being an Artist are:
- 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
Implementation
The high standards of teaching and learning of the Art and Design Curriculum at Amesbury CE Primary School are based on the National Curriculum. Learning is linked to year group topics to give a well-structured and progressive approach to the subject. Through providing children the knowledge they need of local, national and international artists, contexts and historical times, children develop a better understanding, they can discuss what they are learning and they expand their vocabulary specific and linked to that artist. Children will have opportunities to share informed opinions and make observations on how to improve their own pieces. In their practical projects, children will develop their skills as well as be able to give constructive critiques of their own and peers’ work. We want children to express their imagination, as well as develop their skills in areas such as drawing, painting, printing, collage and sculpture. Teachers, follow a clear progression of skills, which will give fair challenges to each year group and will build on the children’s prior learning.
Where does it come from?
Being an Artist is integrated into our curriculum through Curious-city. An enquiry-led, local learning approach to the National Curriculum 2014. This approach recognises that the cognitive maturity of learners affects what and how they learn. It also encourages teachers to think of how they encourage learners to be an Artist instead of simply teaching them Art.
Within a Curious-city curriculum, there is no ‘skills or knowledge’ debate. It is seamless blend of both, and through every enquiry, learners are challenged to work independently to prove their understanding of Being an Artist.
What is ‘covered’?
Essentially, a Curious-city curriculum uses the National Curriculum 2014 areas as a basic foundation of entitlement. However Curious-city is much more than that. It is localised, real-life and challenges learners to apply their learning in unique ways without the support of adults to prove what they have learnt. Local companies, charities, organisations, individuals and objects are used as foci to enhance and instil a sense of curiosity, pride and stewardship.
Impact
The impact of this will lead to outstanding progress over time across a child’s beginning in EYFS to when they leave Amesbury CE Primary at the conclusion of Year 6, reaching making good or better progress for Art and Design when considering their various starting points. Children are supported and challenged appropriately. Our children will have a deep rooted enthusiasm and ambition for Art and Design, evidenced in the projects in which they have shown their creativity. We want to champion the opportunity for every child to be an artist. It is important that children can talk about what they create, as well as share feelings and ideas in art. Children will grow in confidence in using subject specific vocabulary; know, apply and understand concepts, skills and varied processes. Furthermore, they will develop perseverance and analytical skills. Through classroom and school displays, children will develop a sense of pride in their work and as a school, Amesbury CE Primary will celebrate children’s achievements and the importance of Art and Design to us all. We want our children to develop a life-long love for art and become the artists of the future.
How is Being an Artist monitored and assessed?
Every term, the lead Artist reviews children's artwork and displays of learning. This helps to not only ensure coverage and ‘matching up’ progress throughout a year group in line with the whole school curriculum map, but also an opportunity to collect different voices.
Every two terms, staff meet as a team to discuss and share what they are seeing and hearing within their subject, and as working as a team, help to review the school’s curriculum and contribute to the development plan.
As there is no requirement to formally report attainment of Art, being an Artist is assessed through monitoring how a child responds to enquiries and whether they show a particular enthusiasm and disposition towards it, or, if they constantly needed support in order to access it. This information is recorded onto the enquiry sheets which are kept and used for report writing towards the end of the year.