Art & Design

INTENT
At Cheadle Heath Primary School, we recognise that Art & Design stimulates creativity and imagination. It promotes careful observation and an appreciation of the world around us. We believe it is a vital part of children’s education, with a significant and valuable role in developing our pupil’s full educational potential as well as life-long learning. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a special way of understanding and responding to the world. It enables children of all abilities to communicate what they see, imagine, feel and think through the visual elements of Art & Design (colour, line, tone, texture, shape, 3D form and pattern) as well as through different materials and processes.

The Art & Design curriculum will develop children’s critical abilities, as well as an understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritages through the study of a diverse range of artists. We encourage children to explore ideas and meanings using their critical abilities. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures. We believe that the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts enriches all our lives and all children are given the opportunity to access the curriculum at their level and are provided with the resources required to enhance their understanding.

We aim to:

• enable children to record from first-hand experience and from imagination, and to select their own ideas to use in their work;

• develop creativity and imagination through a range of complex activities;

• have consistent opportunities to use sketchbooks to review, modify and develop their initial ideas,

• develop the children’s ability to control materials, tools and techniques;

• increase their critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures;

• develop increasing confidence in the use of visual and tactile elements and materials;

• foster an enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers;

• developing increasing confidence in the use of Art & Design language and subject specific vocabulary.
  

IMPLEMENTATION
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Art & Design, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school, from Early Years to Y6. It is carefully planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on prior learning. Art and design is taught as part of a topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum as well as the school’s age-related expectations documents. This provides progression in learning towards end of year and end of Key Stage expectations and ensures our children will be ready for the next stage of their learning.  Our art curriculum is supported through the availability of a wide range of resources, which are used to support children’s confidence in the use of different media. 

IMPACT
Our art and design curriculum is well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression of knowledge & skills and discreet vocabulary in order to ensure children reach their age-related expectations and end of key stage expectations. We measure the impact through the following methods:

• Images of the children’s practical learning alongside the work in sketchbooks.

• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).

• Use of ‘Age Related Expectation’ documents to support staff in assessing and moderating the standard of children’s practical outcomes.

• The opportunity for a dialogue between the Art & Design subject leader and teachers to understand their class’s work as well as support for planning.

• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum.

The school environment celebrates children’s achievements in art. Classroom displays reflect the children’s sense of pride in their artwork and this is also demonstrated by creative outcomes across the wider curriculum.