“Art to the child is more than a matter of painting pictures or making objects. It is a means by which he/she expresses his/her individuality and communicates his/her ideas about him/herself about his/her world.” Jane Cooper Bland

Intent

At Thorpe C of E Primary School, we aim for children to:

• fully access the art curriculum regardless of their ability and to produce creative work, exploring their imagination, ideas and recording their experiences. 
• be engaged, inspired and challenged by the art work they have observed and produced.
• have had the opportunity to become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
• be able to evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• have learnt about great Artists, craft makers, architects and designers, and developed a greater understanding of the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Art curriculum at Thorpe is planned in line with the National Curriculum. Units of work are often linked to other areas of the curriculum to enhance and enrich the children’s learning.

Our curriculum draws upon prior learning and is carefully sequenced so that children develop and master skills across three main strands: Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. Within each of these three strands, knowledge and skills are developed in other arts, craft and design areas such as printing and collage.

Children participate in a variety of activities both individually and in small groups to encourage working collaboratively, nurturing cooperation and good habits for learning. Art encourages children to experiment, take risks and mistakes are never seen as a set back. Instead a stepping stone to improvements and learning new skills.

Our curriculum inspires pupils to acquire knowledge as an artist and enables them to skilfully attempt and apply their understanding. We provide explicit teaching of practical techniques and the use of correct terminology within lessons to support children in mastering skills.

Our pupils will develop a secure understanding of the seven elements of art. The seven elements of working artistically in our Art and Design Curriculum are:

Shape, Line, Colour, Value, Form, Texture and Space.

Alongside this practical knowledge, cultural diversity is celebrated. Pupils are exposed to a wide range of inspirational artists from a range of different genres, artistic movements, cultures and eras in time.

In the EYFS, children are taught art as part of their ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ curriculum. Here they are introduced to the six disciplines of drawing, painting, sculpturing, textiles, collage and printing. Art is integrated into the classroom environment, with specific craft and painting areas set up daily to encourage child initiated artistic work and experimentation.  

Impact

Throughout the year, there are ongoing assessments which help to inform teachers in future lessons. Data is collected and assessed on a termly basis and teachers use this to inform and address any trends or gaps in attainment. Continuous assessments allow teachers to review the quality of teaching, and the progression of children's knowledge and skills, ensuring they are supported and challenged appropriately. 

Sketchbooks

The children use sketchbooks to record their experiences and inspirations in order to develop ideas and to show progression in their artistic ability. An integral part of our art and design curriculum is fostering the children’s ability to annotate their own work and make decision about techniques and materials. An element of this will include the children self-assessing their own work where appropriate, highlighting successes and areas to develop.

As a school, we have decided that sketchbooks should not follow the school's marking policy; it belongs to the child. It's not just a book - it is a space where children can freely express, create, develop and learn, often with limited guidance from the teacher. The artwork that children create is theirs and theirs alone, it holds special value for them and does not require the judgement of others to be correct or incorrect. As a result, children learn that they possess the authority to say what the image is about and what it communicates. This increases their self-confidence and self-esteem. Where necessary, post-it notes can be used to add any relevant feedback, from either the teacher or peers, without it being written directly onto the pages or artwork.

Enhancements

During the year, children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of whole school projects. I.e. last year, we took part in Guildford Cathedral’s Christmas Art Exhibition where each pupil responded in their own way to the theme of ‘Prince of Peace’. Also as part of our celebrations for the King’s coronation we created a whole school Terra Carta Pledge Tree.

Our school use Padlet to share some of our amazing art. https://padlet.com/ThorpeCofEPrimarySchool/celebrating-our-amazing-artists-summer-2023-5s1ywzcady62g91s

Children in KS2 have the opportunity to attend our Arts and Crafts club and we look forward to holding an exciting Art Week in the Summer Term!