The Woodfield Art Curriculum

Intent

At Woodfield Infant School, art should be fully inclusive to every child. Our aims are to:

• fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for art and design,
• provide a broad and balanced curriculum, ensure the progressive development of knowledge and skills,
• enable children to observe and record from first-hand experience and from imagination,
• develop the children’s competence in controlling materials and tools,
• acquire knowledge and become proficient in various art and design techniques and processes,
• foster enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and develop a knowledge of significant artists.
• develop a cross-curricular approach to the use of art and design in all subjects.

We recognise that Art stimulates creativity and imagination. It enables children of all abilities to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, sculpture and drawing. We encourage children to explore ideas and meanings through the work of a range of artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and that of different times and cultures.  

Throughout all of the art curriculum, children are encouraged to use our ‘Learning Powers’. For example, children are expected to be reflective and review their work, thinking about how they can make changes and keep improving. Children are also encouraged to be curious, asking questions and show resilience if something becomes difficult. Art is a great way of encouraging the children to review their work and that of peers whilst also being kind to themselves and others.

Through our high quality art curriculum, children become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, collage, printing.  Children also develop their knowledge of famous artists, architects and designers and develop their interest and curiosity about art and design through sequences of lessons which offer skills progression, knowledge progression and the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. Our art curriculum equips the children with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art, craft and design and, as the children progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design. They should also know how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

The Art curriculum at Woodfield has been planned to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to look and have access to contemporary (20th and 21st century) artists as well as more traditional ones, that are perhaps more relevant to children today. 

Implementation

The art curriculum at Woodfield has been designed to ensure it links closely to the National Curriculum. A long term plan and a progression document guides the teachers in planning appropriate experiences for the children. The long term plan ensures that all aspects of the art curriculum are experienced and also revisited to build upon previous learning.

In EYFS there is continuous provision of art and design opportunities: these activities make important contributions to children’s development in the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language. They are also important in children’s Personal, Social and Emotional development. Art is covered in art lessons, continuous provision and as a means of communication and learning in other curriculum areas. 

Children at the expected level of development will: - Explores, uses and

refines a variety of artistic effects to express ideas and feelings; - Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.

During Key Stage 1, art activities are planned for on a weekly basis and also as blocked units. Creative cross curricular links are developed to give meaning to the children’s art work. For example, using art as a medium to focus on our drawing skills whilst drawing maps in geography and drawing and creating throughout our strands of English.

Special Educational Needs and Art

Effective quality first teaching is the key to enabling all children to participate and develop their artistic knowledge and skills. Adaptation within lessons is a vital component to ensure that a balance of support and challenge is achieved by all learners.

Support specific to art may include:

• Present and explain art projects with one step directions
• Scaffolds in place to support
• More time given to learn new skills
• Present information in a visual format
• Modelling
• Offer alternative ways of doing things

Pupils not secure within a lesson sequence are noted and adjustments made to the adaptation or level of support given.  Similarly, added challenge is given to those pupils requiring it. This may be through questioning or the use of written work.

Impact

Within art and design, we strive to create a supportive and collaborative ethos for learning by providing investigative and enquiry based learning opportunities. Emphasis is placed on investigative learning opportunities to help children gain a coherent knowledge of understanding of each unit of work covered throughout the school.

Our art and design curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills and discreet vocabulary progression also form part of the units of work.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods

• Assessing children’s understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after the unit is taught.
• Summative assessment of children’s discussions about their learning.
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning.
• Interviewing the children about their learning (pupil voice).
• Moderation staff meetings where children’s books are scrutinised and there is the opportunity for a dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work.
• Subject leadership monitoring cycles.