At Plaxtol Primary School, we believe that Art and Design should stimulate both creativity and imagination, allowing our pupils to express their individual thoughts and ideas. We aim to instil in our children an appreciation of art through the exploration of the work of a range of artists as well as hands-on learning experiences.
We aim to provide a high-quality Art and Design curriculum which engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, design and craft. Our Art and Design curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and offers visual, tactile and sensory experiences, where there is strong emphasis put on the process rather than the outcome.
In Reception, there is continuous provision of Art and Design opportunities where experimentation is fundamental. This provides a foundation which is built upon as children enter Key Stage One, where the use of sketchbooks allows them to experiment with techniques and to plan their ideas. This places children at the centre of their learning and enables them to take creative risks and to develop resilience.
Our teaching enables our pupils to gradually build on their understanding of Art and Design skills and techniques. Children have opportunities to reflect on, evaluate and amend their work. They are taught key art terms and subject specific vocabulary. Teachers ensure that the children have opportunities to gain knowledge of art, design and craft over time and through a variety of cultures.
The school’s Art and Design scheme of work ensures coverage and progression of skills and knowledge through each of the elements of Art and Design:
The scheme also provides videos to support teachers in ensuring that they are confident in modelling techniques practically. This allows them to support and challenge all pupils appropriately. Art projects are often linked to other topics being taught at the same time, to provide links in learning across the subjects.
Children will be able to evaluate and comment on works of art, have the resilience to experiment with different techniques and skills and to express themselves creatively, communicating through Art and Design.