The school believes that art is a vital part of children’s education, with a significant and valuable role in the taught curriculum and the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils. The art 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. Children will develop their understanding of the visual language of art with effective teaching and considered sequences of lessons and experiences. Understanding of the visual elements of art and design (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D form) will be developed by providing a curriculum which will enable children to reach their full potential.
The skills and knowledge that children will develop throughout each art topic are mapped across each year group and are progressive throughout the school. The emphasis on knowledge ensures that children understand the context of the artwork, as well as the artists that they are learning about and being inspired by. This enables links to other curriculum areas, including humanities, with children developing a considerable knowledge of individual artists, as well as individual works and art movements. A similar systematic approach to the development of artistic skills means that children are given opportunities to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and develop mastery in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture.
In Year 4, children have the opportunity to visit the National Gallery in London as part of the"Take One Picture" project. This involves the study of a painting held at the National Gallery which forms the basis of work done in the classroom. Children learn how to prodcue a written critique of a piece of art and learn about the themes contained within the painting. The visit to London happens at the end of the project and is a chance for children to see some of the world's most well-known artwork in person and apply some of the skills learned in school.
Children are also given opportunities to work alongside external artists as part of whole-class projects. For example, in Year 4, as part of the "Take One Picture" project, children work with an artist to produce a whole-class piece. In Year 5, children work with an artist on a whole-class piece inspired by that year's Shakespeare play, with the artwork based around a different media each year.