Art and Design Pen Portrait

Intent

Through our Art and Design Curriculum, we intend to give children opportunities to develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to enable their creativity to grow.  We aspire for children to approach activities with independence, regardless of their prior attainment, to be able to investigate and explore materials, media and processes.  We aim to teach children how to be resilient when things do not go to plan; to have the ability to make adaptations or changes when needed.  As a part of being creative, we intend for children to have opportunities to think purposefully and solve problems.  Our intent for Art and Design teaching is closely linked to our School superpowers, Resilience, Independence and Brain Power.

EYFS

In EYFS, activities are planned to enhance the curriculum area of Expressive Art and Design.  As their learning journey commences, children are given opportunities to be creative, and to explore a wide range of media and techniques.   The Year R, focus is on the process undertaken, rather than the creation of a final piece of work. 

Key Stage One

In Key Stage 1, art is taught in termly blocks.  Work is either closely linked to one or more of the visual elements: colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space, or design, allowing for progression between Year 1 and Year 2.  We intend to teach children to use drawing, painting and sculpture as the key means to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.  We believe it is important that children are given opportunities for exploration using techniques and media within these areas of focus, and that the artistic process as a whole is valued.  The children have their own individual Creativity books, which are utilized for exploration and development of ideas in the creative subjects, including Art and Design.

Through our teaching of Art and Design, we aim to build children’s knowledge of artists, craftspeople and designers, from a range of times and cultures.  This enables them to experience, appreciate and respect global diversity through art and design, both in the past, and the modern day, and to make links to their own work and learning.

Our Art and Design Progression Grid is taken from the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and the National Curriculum, and has been added to where necessary to reflect our curriculum intent. These statements have been matched to our Art and Design long term planning, enabling us to focus on how knowledge and skills progress more specifically in each year group.  The planning of lessons in Art and Design will take account of children’s prior knowledge and skills, and how this can be utilised and built upon.  

We strive to facilitate all children to have the confidence to express themselves independently and creatively in Art and Design, using their imagination and own ideas. By developing their wider subject knowledge and key art skills, we are enabling children to see that art and design is relevant to them today, and can impact on their own lives. 

Year 1

The children begin the year with many opportunities for child-initiated art provided through continuous provision, which supports the transition from EYFS to Key Stage 1.  In Term 1, they have the opportunity to create 3-D art in collaboration with others, using natural materials foraged in the school outside area.  Later in the term, they explore the early self-portraits of Pablo Picasso, and are taught how to use line to create their own self-portraits.  During Term 2’s Let’s Celebrate theme, the children use the technique of printing to create a firework picture.  They are introduced to the clay work of the contemporary craftsperson Patricia Bridges, and learn skills to make their own clay coil pots. They also further develop their observational drawing skills by drawing a seasonal plant (e.g. a poinsettia / holly).  In Term 3, children learn about the primary colours, and use a colour wheel to explore mixing primary colours.  The theme this term is Castles and Fairy Tales, and they apply their learning about colour mixing later in the term when creating their own mixed media shield design.  During Term 4’s Travel and Exploration theme, the children use different media to explore line, linking this to movement.  They look at and discuss the use of line in works by the contemporary artist Joan Miró, and create a picture in this style.  In Term 5, children explore texture in nature as a part of the Let it Grow theme.  They also complete observational drawings of historical houses during a visit to Bearsted Green.  Towards the end of the term, they learn about the African Tinga Tinga art style, and create their own creature art.  The theme for Term 6 is Life on the Ocean Wave, and the children carry out observational drawings of shells.  They are introduced to the work of designers who follow a seaside theme, and build on this by using their imagination to create a seaside design for a bag of their own.

Year 2

The children begin Term 1 by using art as a tool to explore their emotions, supporting the transition from Year 1 to Year 2.  Later in the term they focus on pattern, linking this to the work of the contemporary African designer Lisa Folawiyo, and exploring patterns from around the world.  In Term 2, the focus is colour, and the children compare poppy paintings by Vincent van Gogh and other artists.  They are introduced to tints and shades, and use this knowledge to create a poppy picture of their own.  During Term 3, children’s learning is linked to Design Technology, when they design and create a Tudor house.  In Term 4, they are introduced to the artwork of the contemporary craftsperson Peter Callensen, and will compare this with Picasso’s ‘guitar’ sculpture. They will then learn how to create simple paper sculptures of their own.  During Term 5, the learning focus is texture, and the children explore how this can be represented through mark making.  In Term 6, children are introduced to the work of the contemporary artist Catherine Kennedy, and will explore colour mixing and the use of tone to create a seascape painting.