Asquith Primary School
Asquith Primary School- Art and Design Overview
Growing to succeed - Art and Design The Asquith Way
'Art is not just a subject to learn, but an activity that you can practise with your hands, your eyes, your whole personality.'
Quentin Blake, Illustrator and Artist
'Art is good for your mental health. You can express how you feel through your creativity.'
Asquith Pupil
At Asquith Primary School, we believe learning through and about the arts enriches the experience of studying throughout their schooling as well as preparing students for life after school. We offer opportunities for children to develop their self-expression and creativity which can in turn builds confidence as well as a sense of individual identity. Creativity can also help with wellbeing and improving health and happiness. We believe studying arts subjects also helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us including developing cultural capital.
Our carefully sequenced lessons enable pupils to understand and develop skills as artists. We build strong foundations in our EYFS, and then support and challenge pupils on their journey through our school, ultimately ensuring that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge that they will need to succeed in the future and be citizens of tomorrow’s world. Our curriculum is underpinned by 5 golden threads: High aspirations for all, Fostering resilience, Embedding key skills, Respecting diversity and Creating global citizens- with the intent that all our children have the opportunity to grow and succeed as artists.
Intent
At Asquith Primary School we believe that art stimulates creativity, imagination, and inventiveness. We believe that art gives our pupils the skills, concepts, and knowledge necessary for them to express responses to ideas and experiences. It fires their imagination. Art enables our children to communicate what they see, feel, and think. Children experiment with their ideas, use of colour, texture, form, pattern and different materials and processes. Self-evaluation of work is encouraged, and children are taught how to be resilient to achieve their goals.
Children are encouraged to ask questions about what they see and be explorers of the world around them. At Asquith Primary School, Art is not just taught in a designated Art lesson, but wherever appropriate it is linked to topics and the wider curriculum as it gives children the opportunities to bring topics to life.
We aim to:
- Ensure all pupils produce creative, imaginative work and have covered the skills required to meet the aims of the national curriculum. We ensure children have the opportunity to explore their ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluate different creative ideas.
- Provide children with the opportunity to become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpting, collage, printing and develop a knowledge of colour theory.
- Develop children's interest and curiosity about art and design through lessons offering skills progression, knowledge progression and the opportunities to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. Art lessons will offer the chance for children to develop their emotional expression through art to further enhance their personal, social and emotional development.
- Develop aspirations through the study of other artists from a diverse range of backgrounds and places in history.
- Build resilience is built through opportunities for them to experiment with different media and techniques. This in turn embeds the understanding that to FAIL is a First Attempt in Learning as not all of their ideas are successful.
Implementation
Art is crucial to the development of an awareness and appreciation of beauty and quality. We aim to offer artistic activities using a variety of media to explore techniques in art and aim to teach all pupils the necessary skills and confidence to express themselves creatively. Pupils are also taught to appreciate the work of artists and encouraged to develop a true sense of art appreciation.
We aim to provide high-quality art which engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. A variety of skills are taught and revisited across the school, including drawing, painting, printing and modelling. The children are able to work using a variety of media giving them the opportunity to experiment with the skills they have been taught.
The focus on ensuring that the children grow to succeed is implemented by:
- Developing the understanding of the key knowledge within each unit and across each year group.
- Applying and developing key technical skills through all units of learning.
- A clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. Whilst the EYFS and National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary.
- Lessons develop pupils' techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
- Ensuring children have an understanding of how art and design both reflect and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.
- Clear and appropriate cross curricular links to underpin learning in multi areas across the curriculum giving the children opportunities to learn life skills and apply skills to ‘hands on’ situations in a purposeful context.
- Independent learning: children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in art and design.
- Collaborative learning: In art and design children may well be asked to work as part of a team learning to support and help one another towards a challenging yet rewarding goal.
Developing aspirations through the study of other artists from a diverse range of backgrounds, times and places.
Impact
Children's knowledge, skills and understanding of artistic techniques can be evidenced throughout their time at Asquith Primary School. Sketch books are used as evidence of progression, as well as final pieces used in displays which strengthen the children's sense of pride in their artwork. Children are encouraged to use a range of technical vocabulary as well as understanding the skills and processes involved. Children become more confident in analysing their work and sharing their opinions on their own and other works of art. Children show competences in improving their resilience and perseverance by continually evaluating and improving their work. Children develop both a love and appreciation of art through a creative curriculum.