Children naturally love Art like drawing and painting. Learning art helps children to think creatively, with an open mind. This helps children to observe, describe and express their feeling with or without words.

Art introduces children to cultures from around the world and to a variety of different artists. It builds confidence and celebrates difference because there is not just one right way to do it, every child is free to express their feelings and feel proud of their original artistic creations.       

INTENT

At Convent of Jesus and Mary Catholic Infant School & Nursery we strive to ensure all pupils produce creative and imaginative work. Pupils have the opportunity to explore their ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluate different creative ideas. Art allows our pupils to cultivate the learning behaviours of curiosity and creativity by enabling them to critically engage with the world as they find it and make connections, to the national and global contexts they live in.

At our school we use the Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work. This programme of study aims to inspire pupils and develop their confidence to experiment and create their own works of art. This scheme compliments our own rich and varied art curriculum which gives our pupils the opportunity to develop their ability, nurture their talent and interests, express their ideas and thoughts about the world. Pupils will explore a variety of artistic processes and techniques, develop their fine motor skills as well as critical thinking and evaluation. They will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, as well as other selected craft skills, e.g. collage, printing, weaving and patterns. They will also develop their knowledge of famous artists, designers, and craft makers.

Pupils will develop their interest and curiosity about Art and Design through a series of lessons offering a coherent progression of skills, and knowledge and it also offers our pupils the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. The lessons will offer the chance for pupils to develop their emotional expression through art to further enhance their personal, social, and emotional development.

Kapow Primary Art and Design scheme of work supports pupils to meet the National Curriculum end of key stage attainment targets and has been written to fully cover the National Society for Education in Art and Design’s progression competencies.

IMPLEMENTATION

Each unit of learning has a curriculum overview that shows which units cover each of the National Curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the strands. Pupils have the opportunity to learn and practice skills discretely. The knowledge and skills learned are then applied and revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning.

An end of unit assessment activity and additional resources give teachers and TAs the confidence in progression of skills and knowledge and to make sure that outcomes have been met. Each year group focuses on different themes to ensure progression in knowledge as well as renewed interest in the subject. Lessons are practical in nature and encourage experimental and exploratory learning. These develop pupils’ techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation, and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft, and design. We undertake to create opportunities to link the curriculum across subjects.

Pupils are taught to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products. They are encouraged to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences, and imagination across the curriculum. Skills are developed by using a sequenced journey of Art and Design techniques in colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space and pupils have a sketchbook to record their ideas.

Core knowledge, skills and art history are re-visited over time so that the learning has depth. Pupils should know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity, and wealth of our nation. We have suggested a specific series of lessons for each year group, which will offer structure and narrative. They are by no means to be used exclusively but can be used to support planning.

IMPACT

Art and design learning is loved by teachers and pupils across school. Teachers have high expectations and more quality evidence can be presented in a variety of ways. All pupils use technical vocabulary accurately and pupils are expected to know, apply, and understand the matters, skills and processes specified. Pupils improve their enquiry skills and inquisitiveness about the world around them, and their impact through art and design on the world.

We celebrate our pupil’s success by exhibiting their work using high quality display. This allows them to take pride in their work and enables them to see inspiration by continually engaging with their environment both indoors and outdoors in the garden. They feel that their artistic endeavours are valued by the whole community therefore enabling them to understand the impact and contribution art makes to our diverse cultures today.

Kapow Primary curriculum is designed in such a way that pupils are involved in the evaluation, dialogue and decision making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make. By taking part in regular discussions and decision-making processes, pupils will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to confidently about their own learning journey, have higher metacognitive skills and have a growing understanding of how to improve.