Art and Design 

To be an artist is to believe in life. 

Curriculum Intent

At Buckingham we value the importance of providing many opportunities for creative lessons, where every child isequipped with the knowledge and skills to experiment, explore, take risks, invent and create. Above all, we want every child to foster a positive attitude towards the subject and to have fun. Our aims are to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum, by providing broad and balanced lessons, which are both thought-provoking and exciting. The roots of our art lessons are based on teaching specific art skills and technical knowledge, as outlined in our progression documents. Regularly showcasing our love of art, high-quality displays based on current Worldwide themes are created. A strong emphasis is placed on learning about artists, craft makers and designers. The children are encouraged to evaluate their artwork and to share their own responses using the language of art and design.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Our children begin their creative journey with a focus on ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ as this is an integral part of topic work covered during the year. We relate Expressive Arts and Design for the children, to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals, which underpin the curriculum planning for this age group. The activities that they take part in are imaginative and enjoyable and provide an opportunity for the youngest children in the school to make their first connections with the world of Art.

                                                                                                         Key Stage One and Two

Through Key Stage one specific art skills are taught and developed. We continually build on existing knowledge and look at a range of Artists as specific experts. A wide range of mediums continue to be explored further in Key stage Two. By developing fundamental skills, our children are able to grow as individual artists by making their own choices. From Year three to Year six, sketchbooks are used to make responses in art and to practise skills. Every child will keep a record of their artistic journey by adding to their Art portfolio, which is a long lasting memory of their development from Reception to Year Six.

Implementation

Art and Design is organised around a skills-based approach, therefore each year group will have specific skills to focus on. These skills are progressive across the school and by the end of Year 6, we aim to have covered all of the skills allowing the children to make some elements of choice in the way they approach a piece of artwork and in the mediums that they choose. By colour-coding the skills, as a school we can ensure when each skill was first introduced and when it was consolidated. We continually seek to build on existing knowledge. Each term, our staff are guided by the information in the ‘Knowledge Organisers’ and ‘Progression Documents’ for each year group, to ensure full coverage.

Teacher judgements are made on Assessment grids at the end of each term, which assesses the children’s performance in terms of the skills that have been studied.