Art
The World is ours to Explore
Intent
At Church Aston Infant School, our Art curriculum is created to provide visual, tactile and sensory experiences which help provide a special way of understanding and responding to the world. Our Art curriculum builds on the children’s early creative experiences whilst enabling them to express themselves in a more practical way. We ensure that we provide our children with a range of knowledge and skills to communicate what they see, feel and think through the use of colour, texture, form and pattern. Children are provided with the opportunities to explore ideas and meaning through the work of both modern and historical artists and designers. As they learn about artists and designers, as well as the history, roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact that it has on both modern life and that of different times and cultures. Art is not restricted to the Art lesson and children are encouraged to apply their art skills they have picked up in other areas of the curriculum.
Implementation
Throughout their time at Church Aston Infant School, the children are given opportunities to explore a wide range of materials and techniques, developing their skills and thinking as young artists. The Art curriculum is progressive so allows the children to build on skills, knowledge and techniques year on year. The children build on previous understanding through five areas: drawing, painting, collage, sculpture and felting. The materials and media used are revisited throughout year groups to ensure progression of skills previously developed. Children record all their learning, ideas, techniques, skills and final pieces of art (where appropriate) in their sketch books which they take with them through from Year 1 to Year 2.
Our Subject Leader and teachers work closely to ensure that teaching is progressive and provides opportunities for children to work with well-designed sequences of lessons that build knowledge, skills and ideas over time. Children are assessed on their Art knowledge through questioning and discussion to enable teachers to ascertain the next steps for them and to gain an understanding of the progress and expectations that they have met. Our children have opportunity to express what they have been learning about in Art on a regular basis and this is encouraged throughout the school day. Children in Reception are assessed at the end of the year in Expressive Arts and Design to identify if they are at expected or emerging and this is shared with Year 1 teacher/s. Year 1 and Year 2 children are assessed to evaluate if they are working towards or at age related expectations. Outcomes are shared with parents.
Impact
By the time children leave Church Aston Infant School, we want them to have developed a passion for art and creativity, working both independently and with their peers. They will have grown in confidence when using a range of tools and techniques, becoming artists that can apply the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout the years and respond critically to their own and other’s work. They will have knowledge of, and will have been inspired by, a variety of both modern and historical artists and designers.