Art & Design Policy

PURPOSE OF STUDY 

Art, craft and design embody some of the highest forms of human creativity. A high-quality art and design education will 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. 

SUBJECT CONTENT 

Key stage 1 

Pupils should be taught: 

• 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 should be taught: 

• 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. 

TEACHING AND LEARNING STYLES 

The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in art and design lessons. Our principal aim is to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in art and design. We ensure that the act of investigating and making something includes exploring and developing ideas and evaluating and developing work. We do this best through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual/group activities. Teachers draw attention to good examples of individual performance as models for the other children. They encourage children to evaluate their own ideas and methods, and the work of others, and say what they think and feel about them. We give children the opportunity within lessons to work on their own and collaborate with others, on projects in two and three dimensions and on different scales. Children also have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources, including ICT. 

We recognise the fact that we have children of differing ability in all our classes, and so we provide suitable learning opportunities for all children.  We achieve this through a range of strategies: 

• developing a growth mindset culture within the classroom; 

• setting common tasks that are open-ended and can have a variety of responses; 

• setting tasks of increasing difficulty where not all children complete all tasks; 

• providing a range of challenges with different resources; 

• using additional adults to support the work of individual children or small groups; 

• Where appropriate talk our learning outside. 

CURRICULUM PLANNING  

We use the national curriculum as the basis for our curriculum planning in art and design. We adapt to the local circumstances of our school in that we regularly use the local environment as the starting point for aspects of our work. We also encourage diversity in planning so that each unit takes into account the specific needs of our pupils.  

We carry out the curriculum planning in art and design in two phases: long and medium-term. Our long-term plans identify the themes covered each term over an academic year. Because of the cross-curricular links between Art Design and Design Technology and the increasing demands for curriculum time, the two subjects are allocated curriculum time on an alternating basis. The long term plans for art and design are established by our art and design subject lead in conjunction with individual teachers and the governor for arts and culture.  

Our medium-term plans, give details of each unit of work for each term. These plans define what we will teach and ensure an appropriate balance and distribution of work across each term. The art and design subject leader is responsible for keeping and reviewing these plans in line with an agreed Monitoring & Evaluation timetable. 

We plan the activities in art and design so that they build upon the prior learning of the children. While we give children of all abilities opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding, we also build planned progression into the scheme of work, so that there is an increasing challenge for the children as they move up through the school. 

EYFS 

We particularly encourage creative work from the outset of life in school as it is central to our schools’ values. We relate the creative development of the children to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals. The children’s learning includes art, exploring, music, dance, role-play and imaginative play. The range of experience encourages children to make connections between one area of learning and another and so extends their understanding. 

We provide a rich environment in which we encourage and value creativity. Children experience a wide range of activities that they respond to, using the various senses. We give them the opportunity to work alongside artists and other adults. The activities that they take part in are imaginative and enjoyable. 

CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS 

Contribution of art and design to teaching in other curriculum areas 

Outdoor Learning 

We use our rural setting to enhance our curriculum where possible.  Outdoor learning brings the curriculum to life in meaningful ways.  (See outdoor learning policy for further information) 

English   

Art and design contributes to the teaching of English in our school by encouraging children to ask and answer questions about the starting points for their work. They have the opportunity to compare ideas, methods and approaches in their own work and that of other children, and to say what they think and feel about them. 

Mathematics 

Art and design contributes to the teaching of mathematics in our school by giving opportunities to develop the children’s understanding of shape and space through work in two and three dimensions. 

Information and communication technology (ICT) 

We use ICT to support art and design teaching when appropriate (see LTP’s for Computing). Children use software to explore shape, colour and pattern in their work. Older children collect visual information to help them develop their ideas by using digital and video cameras to record their observations. Children use the internet to find out more about famous artists and designers. 

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship 

Art and design contributes to the teaching of some elements of personal, social and health education and citizenship. The children discuss how they feel about their own work and the methods and approaches used by others. They have the opportunity to meet and talk with artists and other talented adults whilst undertaking their work. 

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 

The teaching of art and design offers opportunities to support the social development of our children through the way we expect them to work with each other in lessons.  Their work in general helps them to develop a respect for the abilities of other children and encourages them to collaborate and co-operate across a range of activities and experiences. The children learn to respect and work with each other and with adults, thus developing a better understanding of themselves. They also develop an understanding of different times and cultures through their work on famous artists, designers and craftspeople. 

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 

We teach art and design to all children, whatever their ability. Art and design helps provide a broad and balanced education for all our children. Our teachers provide learning opportunities that are matched to the needs of children with learning difficulties. Wherever appropriate, work in art and design takes into account the targets set for individual children in their Plan Do Review cycle.  
 

ASSESSMENT AND RECORDING 

We assess the children’s work in art and design whilst observing them working during lessons. Teachers assess the progress made by children against the learning objectives for their lessons. At the end of each academic year we make a judgement and record each child’s progress against the National Curriculum standards of attainment. This information is used to plan future work as well as forming part of the annual report to parents. 

MONITORING AND REVIEW 

The monitoring of the standards of children’s work and of the quality of teaching in art and design is the responsibility of the art and design leader. The work of the subject lead also involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of art and design, being informed about current developments in the subject, and providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The art and design subject lead undertakes an annual audit of the Art curriculum. This results in the production actions which aims to further improve the quality of the art curriculum. A small amount of directed time has been allocated to enable the curriculum lead to review evidence of the children’s work, and to undertake observations of art and design processes and outcomes across the school. The link governor for arts and culture is also involved in subject review.