What does Art look like at South Wonston?
 

INTENT – Purpose and Structure

Our Art and Design curriculum is based around the principles of evidence-led practice. This is to ensure that pupils are equipped to successfully think, work and communicate like an artist. Our art curriculum focuses on excellence in this subject through using a range of media and learning about different artists and designers. At South Wonston School, we will ensure our children become creative artists by making sure they meet the National Curriculum expectations, to:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms. 

Our is organised into blocks with each block covering a particular set of artistic disciplines, including drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, 3D and collage. Vertical progression in each discipline has been deliberately woven into the fabric of the curriculum so that pupils can revisit key disciplines throughout their Primary journey at increasing degrees of challenge and complexity. In addition to the core knowledge required to be successful within each discipline, the curriculum outlines key aspects of artistic development in the Working Artistically section.

Each module will focus on developing different aspects of these competencies. This will support teachers in understanding pupils’ development as artists more broadly, as well as how successfully they are acquiring the taught knowledge and skills. 

Teaching and learning: connects to prior learning; is taught explicitly; children are given time and support to understand and deepen their learning, and are challenged appropriately.

Our curriculum is rich in vocabulary, knowledge and skills that are progressive and transferable. Our Art & Design key concepts, long term overview and EYFS expressive arts and creativity documents show how knowledge progresses from Nursery through to Y6 and beyond. 

In addition to the core knowledge required to be successful within each discipline, the curriculum outlines key aspects of artistic development in the Working Artistically section. Each module will focus on developing different aspects of these competencies. This will support teachers in understanding pupils’ development as artists more broadly, as well as how successfully they are acquiring the taught knowledge and skills. 

 

Central to the learning modules are activities designed to develop pupils’ oracy and vocabulary skills to enable them to use artistic language meaningfully when talking about their work and the work of others. An overview of the core content provides information about the skills covered across the term in each year group. This enables teachers to see the progression of skills covered within each aspect of art.

Implementation:

All teachers provide inclusive, quality first teaching in art & design by planning and delivering engaging and effective teaching and learning for their class. In South Wonston School, we follow the National Curriculum and primarily use the CUSP Scheme of Work as a guide to support teachers with their planning and assessment. We have mixed-age classes, children come across knowledge and vocabulary in a two-year rolling program to ensure National Curriculum coverage, whereas skills are built upon each academic year. 

Every child has equal opportunity to learn the rich vocabulary, knowledge and skills in a clear progressive manner. Pupils are explicitly taught the vocabulary, knowledge and skills required. They are then supported and challenged to learn, use and deepen their understanding accordingly. This knowledge is included in a knowledge organiser and taught using knowledge notes.

The teaching and learning of art uses a range of monitoring, feedback and assessment strategies which provides opportunities to intervene and support learning in the moment. Support can also be from a variety of strategies such as personalised learning activities, resources and adult support; pre/post-teaching or interventions. Challenges can vary depending on the technique being studied.

Techniques include: 

● Developing ideas ● Taking inspiration from artists, crafts people and designers 

We will explore and develop the techniques of: 

● Drawing ● Painting ● Collage ● Sculpture ● Print ● Textiles ● Digital Media

The use of knowledge notes allows teachers to make reasonable adjustment for pupils with SEND / EHCP to help make sense of the content.  This can then outline what pupils should know, be able to do and remember at key points in their primary education. 

Teaching in Early Years, expressive arts are used to develop a child's imagination, creativity and their ability to use media and materials and is one of the seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. In the classroom, staff provide a huge array of learning opportunities that not only tie in with their current topic but also meet progression and expectations from the EYFS framework. Pupils will have opportunities for expressive arts during continuous provision and in planned focus activities with teachers and teaching assistants.

Children in Year 1 to Year 6, children will use their sketch books to record their observations, review and revisit ideas. They will connect previous learning and improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay].

Artists they will discover will include: Giorgio Morandi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Frida Kahlo and Pablo Picasso. This, paired with high quality teaching and creativity, allows our pupils to fully explore their own creativity. 

In Early Years Foundation Stage children’s work is photographed and recoded on Tapestry, which enables parents to upload any documents and make contributes and comments.

Teachers assess children’s work in Art by observing them work during lessons. Verbal feedback is offered throughout the lesson, whilst not compromising a child’s creativity.

Artwork is marked at the end of the unit of work in each child’s Art sketchbook, with teachers providing comments which refer to the child’s use of the skills and techniques taught. In KS1 and KS2, during lessons, staff use in the moment feedback as all evidence points towards feedback being most impactful as near to the point of learning as possible.

After each art & design unit, teachers will assess the children’s skills and knowledge they have gained and how their working artistically skills have developed. By comparing pre and post learning tasks and using open ended questions that require children to connect and explain their learning.

Our monitoring cycle is planned across the year where the subject leader will: conduct an audit, monitoring in line within action plans, pupil voice and book monitoring.     

Impact:

Leaders and staff work collaboratively to monitor and evaluate the impact of the art & design curriculum using a variety strategy, including: 

• Pupil Book Study
• Learning Walks
• Pupil Voice
• Seeking views of other stakeholders: parents, carers, staff, governors and the wider community 

This will show that by the end of each key stage, children know, apply and understand the substantive knowledge and skills specified in the Art & Design National Curriculum programme of study for KS1 and KS2 and the Expressive Arts strand of the EYFS. 

Ongoing assessments take place throughout the lesson’s teachers use this information to inform future lessons; ensuring children are supported and challenged appropriately.

Children in Early Foundation Stage are assessed within Expressive Arts and Design and their progress is tracked through Tapestry. 

Our art and design curriculum is planned to demonstrate progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills and vocabulary progression also forms part of the units of work. We use sketch books from Key Stage 1 to enable children to explore ideas and practise skills and keep a record of their learning. 

This will culminate in pupils at South Wonston School being confident artists, ready for the next stage in their learning.