Art
Intent: At St. Josephs, we inspire all pupils and develop their confidence to develop their own creativity and produce pieces of artwork that they are proud of. Every child has the opportunity to develop their own ability, nurture their creative talents and express their ideas about the world through art. St. Joseph’s pupils are introduced to a wide variety of artists from across the world and our art curriculum is sequenced so that there is progression and continuity throughout the years. Curriculum plans have been carefully developed to build on prior learning. Staff teach sequenced art skills, knowledge and vocabulary, with the aim of embedding these into the pupils’ long term memory so that they can be built upon in subsequent years. Art is taught as a discrete subject, but some art activities are linked to other subjects, to enable children to understand art as a way of communicating ideas and exploring a topic. This helps pupils to make clear links between the subjects they are learning.
Implementation: Foundation year, art activities are created from the Physical Development and Expressive Arts and Design areas of learning Teachers are highly skilled in creating activities that develop children’s fine motor skills to ensure they are able to manipulate the tools needed in Year 1 and beyond. In years 1 to 6, we follow the Kapow scheme for Art. The topics chosen fit with the Chris Quigley milestones which ensures there is progression as children move through the school. At the start of each lesson teachers recap prior learning and skills that will be useful in the lesson. Children study artists, not to replicate their work but to learn from them and to be inspired to use similar techniques to create their own unique pieces. Teachers use assessment to inform next steps for future planning and to celebrate our children’s successes.
Impact: At St. Joseph’s children build their knowledge and skills progressively, as the vocabulary needed is introduced at the start of each lesson. By the end of each Key Stage, all children can apply and understand the skills, knowledge and processes they have been taught so that they are proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft, and design techniques. Teachers know the skills taught in previous year groups and provide children with the opportunities to make links to prior knowledge and build upon these; creating really solid foundations that children can continue to develop long after they leave St. Joseph’s.