Beechcroft St Paul'sC of E Primary School
At Beechcroft St Paul’s, our Art and Design curriculum encourages children to explore creativity, develop artistic skills and express their ideas with confidence. Through drawing, painting, sculpture and other creative processes, children learn to experiment with materials, techniques and styles while developing their own artistic voice. Art supports children in thinking creatively, reflecting on their work and appreciating the work of others. Our Art and Design curriculum supports our curriculum drivers by helping children broaden their horizons, understand their place in the world, and become responsible decision makers.
Broadening Our Horizons
Through Art and Design, children explore a wide range of artists, styles and creative traditions from different cultures and time periods. By studying the work of diverse artists, children are introduced to new ideas and ways of expressing creativity.
Children are encouraged to experiment with different materials, techniques and processes, developing confidence in their own creative abilities. These experiences inspire curiosity and imagination, helping children discover new ways to communicate ideas and emotions through art.
Understanding Our Place in the World
Art provides opportunities for children to explore identity, culture and community. By learning about artists from different backgrounds and traditions, children begin to understand how art reflects people’s experiences, beliefs and environments.
Children are also encouraged to reflect on their own ideas and experiences through their artwork. This helps them develop a sense of self-expression while recognising the importance of valuing and respecting the creativity of others.
Becoming Responsible Decision Makers
Art and Design encourages children to make thoughtful creative choices as they plan, develop and refine their work. Children learn to select materials, experiment with techniques and evaluate their own ideas, developing independence and confidence in their decisions.
Through reflection and discussion, children learn to consider different perspectives, respond positively to feedback and improve their work. These experiences help them develop resilience, creativity and the ability to make informed choices in their creative processes.
Aims of the Art and Design Curriculum
The national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:
- produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
- become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
- evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
- know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Our art and design curriculum allows children to create artwork through the use of formal elements. There is focus on the influence and exploration of great artists to inspire our pupils own artwork. Pupils are able to express their opinions of artwork with sophisticated use of language. By creating original artwork of their own, documenting their artwork in their sketchbooks and exploring other sources of inspiration for their own artwork, pupils can generate their own ideas of art and design. This ranges from, inspiration from other artists in year 2, to using literary sources to convey ideas through art in year 4. These key skills are built upon across the school to allow children to build on their prior learning and become more accomplished artists with a developed understanding of art.
- Making (drawing, colour, painting, materials, craft)
- Generating ideas (sketchbooks, inspiration, creating original artwork)
- Formal elements
- Knowledge of artists
- Evaluation