Art and Design 

Art and Design – Intent Statement

At Leigh St Mary’s we understand that there are essential characteristics that artists demonstrate. The intent of the Art and Design curriculum from Early Years to Year 6 is to build these characteristics within our pupils.

The essential characteristics of artists are:

• The ability to use visual language skilfully and convincingly (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express emotions, interpret observations, convey insights and accentuate their individuality.
• The ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form.
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination.
• The ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media.
• An impressive knowledge and understanding of other artists, craft makers and designers.
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret ideas, observations and feelings.
• Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity.
• The ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques skilfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected.
• The ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others.
• A passion for and commitment to the subject.

(The Essentials Curriculum, Chris Quigley Education)

Art and Design Curriculum Implementation:

At Leigh St Mary’s we use Kapow Primary’s revised Art and Design scheme of work and elements of the Chris Quigley Education Art and Design Curriculum Companion. Our curriculum aims to inspire pupils, develop their confidence to experiment and invent their own works of art and to develop the essential characteristics of artists.

The Kapow Art and Design revised scheme of work is designed with five strands that run throughout. These are:

• Generating ideas
• Using sketchbooks
• Making skills, including formal elements (line, shape, tone, texture, pattern, colour)
• Knowledge of artists
• Evaluating and analysing

The art curriculum at Leigh St Mary’s is sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge, applying them to a range of outcomes.

The formal elements of art and design are also woven throughout the teaching sequence. Key skills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Learning in each year group is organised into four core areas:

• Drawing
• Painting and mixed-media
• Sculpture and 3D
• Craft and design

The Art and Design progression of knowledge and skills shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. Creativity and independent outcomes are robustly embedded into our lesson plans, supporting students in learning how to make their own creative choices and decisions, so that their art outcomes, whilst still being knowledge-rich, are unique to the pupil and personal. Lessons are always practical in nature and encourage experimental and exploratory learning with pupils using sketchbooks to document their ideas.

At Leigh St Mary’s, Art and Design learning takes place every other half term. We alternate between Design and Technology and Art and Design as a lead subject every term. Teachers have access to a range of planning materials from Kapow and Chris Quigley Curriculum Companion. We have invested in high quality sketch books that the children take up to their new class, year upon year. This allows the teachers and children to see the progress they are making within their sketch books and gives the children opportunity to revise previous areas of learning, looking at past techniques and skills learnt.

The Arts are given a high profile at Leigh St Mary’s and we hold an after school Art Club every Monday. The club is led by a highly skilled staff member, who designs bespoke activities for the children to work on each term. School also has strong links with local high schools, especially Bedford High School, who have an excellent Art department. We take part is as many artistic experiences that we can with Bedford High and are proud to have been featured in their showcases.

Children are involved in 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, children will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to talk confidently about their own learning journey, have higher metacognitive skills and have a growing understanding of how to improve.

Art and Design Curriculum Impact:

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

The impact of the Art And Design curriculum is constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Pupils leave Leigh St Mary’s equipped with a range of techniques and the confidence and creativity to form a strong foundation for their Art and Design learning at Key Stage 3 and beyond.

Pupils are able to:

★ Produce creative work, exploring and recording their ideas and experiences.

★ Be proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.