Art and Design Zone

‘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.’

– National Curriculum 2014

Intent

At St Bede’s, we aim to provide children with an outstanding Art and Design education. We believe Art and Design is a vital part in providing our children with a broad and balanced curriculum. Our Art and Design curriculum has been designed to engage, inspire and challenge our pupils, allowing them the opportunity to express their own interests, thoughts and ideas. We aim to provide them with the knowledge and skills to experiment and create their own works of art. As pupils progress, we encourage them to think critically and make their own decisions about their artwork. We aim to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the history of art, as well as providing them with multiple opportunities each year to learn about of a variety of artists.

Implementation

At St Bede’s, we have carefully planned a curriculum that is progressive through the school. Art and Design is linked to class topics and taught in each class once a week every other half term, alternating with Design and Technology. Pupils are also given other opportunities to extend their learning; during Art Week and through cross-curricular links. Each unit allows children to research, experiment, think critically, create a final piece and then evaluate. Every child in KS1 and KS2 has their own sketchbook, where they make initial sketches, develop their skills, explore their ideas and, as they progress, comment critically on their artwork. Skills are planned to be revisited as children progress through the school, giving them the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills.

Impact

Our Art and Design curriculum has been carefully planned to ensure it is high quality, provides children with opportunities to experiment and extend their ideas and is progressive across the school. The impact of our curriculum is measured through: informal formative and summative assessments, assessments of relevant vocabulary, pupil voice, book scrutinies and lesson observations.

Quotes from the children of St Bede's:

'Art makes me feel free'

'In art lessons, I feel like the sky is the limit'

'Art is my favourite subject'

'I look forward to art lessons'

'I enjoy being creative'

'I like the freedom of art lessons'