Intent
At Daven Primary school, art and design is delivered through four half-termly units, as well as specific art days that link to wider opportunities - locally and globally. It is designed to enable pupils to develop the knowledge and skills required to become creative and individual artists who experiment and create their own pieces using a range of materials and who are able to evaluate, appreciate and think critically about their work and that of others.
Our art and design curriculum covers the National Curriculum. We want our pupils to generate ideas, utilise skechbooks effectively, learn new skills, enhance their knowledge on artsists, and learn how to evaluate and analyse.
Knowledge and skills are structured so that each unit and year build upon one another, ensuring that pupils develop their ability in a range of artistic processes. Our long-term plans encompass four art skills: drawing, painting and mixed media, sculpture and 3D and craft and design.
The curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils grow to be brave learner, who are not afraid to try new techniques in their own way; to be curious and ask a range of questions about the artwork they explore; and to be kind when evaluating their own, and other pupils' work.
Implementation
Our art and design curriculum develops children's substansive and disciplinary knowledge.
Substansive knowledge develops children pratical skills through methods and techniques; media and materials; formal elements (line, tone, shape, colour, form, pattern and texture). We also develop children's theoretical knowledge by gaining a knowledge and understanding of the history of art by learning about arists. Children are able to consider the meanings and interpretations behind works of art they study, and explore artists' materials and processes.
Disciplinary knowledge in art and designs allows pupils to learn how art is studied, discussed and judged, considering these big questions:
- What is art?
- Why do people make art?
- How do people talk about art?
When possible, our art and design units of learning help develop children's knowledge and understanding of a science, history or geography topic. When links have not been able to be made, art and design is taught stand-alone so that children can develop the appropriate skills and knowledge for their age and stage of development.
The roadmap below illustrates how the units of learning have been mapped out to develop children's skills and knowledge over time. For a more detailed outline of our curriculum, you can download the document at the bottom of this page.
Impact
Teachers assess through the use of observations of children and through children’s own self-reflection/assessment and peer assessment. We start every session with Flashback 4 to ensure children can retain knowledge overtiem and low-stakes quizzes, at the end of each topic, to ensure key knowledge is embedded within the pupils' long-term memory. The aim is for children to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in the next phase of their education.