Art

INTENT

Art and design teaching at St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary fosters an appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts by promoting careful observation of the world around us. We provide a high-quality art and design curriculum which stimulates children’s imagination and creativity; involving them in a range of visual, tactile and sensory experiences whilst enabling them to communicate what they see, think and feel through the use of the elements of colour, texture, form and pattern.  

IMPLEMENTATION

Through our progressive curriculum, we introduce key skills, resources and ideas so children can develop their confidence in controlling materials and tools, acquire knowledge and become increasingly proficient in various art and design techniques and processes. By equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, children can invent and create their own works of art, craft and design. They are encouraged to experiment imaginatively and learn from the creative journey. 

As children progress, they are challenged to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of art and design and analyse artistic work using the language of artists. 

Our children explore ideas and meanings through studying the work of significant artists and designers. Through learning about the roles and functions of art, they can explore the impact it has had on contemporary life and on different periods, shaping history and contributing to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. 

Early Years Foundation Stage  

At St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School, the children develop their artistic skills through opportunities to explore a range of media, materials and tools. They love to use their own imagination and observations from their environment to create their artwork and are introduced to significant artists with distinct styles to promote further curiosity and experimentation. 

Key Stage 1  

In Key Stage 1, skills are further developed as the children are introduced to a range of simple artistic terms and are encouraged to use the language to describe their own and others work including a wider range of traditional and contemporary artists. They begin to develop a ‘sketchbook habit’ and start to understand how a sketchbook should be used to explore initial ideas and practise techniques.  

As the children gain greater control of tools such as finer brushes and pencils, they are introduced to water colours, sketching and shading techniques and build a mark-making vocabulary. They are taught how to mix paints from the primary colours and explore how different colours can evoke emotions and create atmosphere. 

Key Stage 2  

Building on Key Stage 1, the children continue to develop a ‘sketchbook habit’, using it as a place to record their individual response to the world. They will annotate their work and source material with feelings, comments and opinions on its effectiveness and start to refer back to previous pages to generate new artwork. 

Children will explore how ideas translate and develop through different medium (i.e. a drawing in pencil or a drawing in charcoal) and formulate opinions on when they should be used. When using clay, children will be taught simple techniques such as making slab pieces, and how to decorate them with relief patterns and they will further explore 3D forms using a variety of materials including papier mache, wire and card. 

Printmaking, painting and collage skills will continue to be refined and further explored by combining techniques in mixed media compositions.   

Key skills in a range of media and techniques will continue to be taught and practised by the children, with increasing opportunities for them to explore their own ideas and create their own interpretation of the ‘design brief’. From discussing and evaluating their work either through conversations or written comments, children move on to presenting their project to an audience such as to the class. 

IMPACT

As children progress through St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary School they develop a broad range of key skills in art and design and a deep understanding and appreciation of the visual arts. Many of our art projects are cross-curricular, linking with topics being explored in history or geography, and allowing the children to make connections with their environment and appreciate the cultural status of art in society.  

Children’s confidence in their ability to create high quality work comes from our curriculum which focuses on the mastery of key skills. Our children are given the time, knowledge and ability they need to be creative and explore their ideas. They are articulate when discussing and evaluating art, able to ask thought-provoking questions about the artist’s intent and having an appreciation that art is subjective and opinions are legitimate yet varied. 

Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else