Art and Design

" Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up. " - Pablo Picasso

Overview of the Subject:

Through systematically developing their artistic skills, our children are given the opportunity to express their creative imagination while mastering art and design. We allow children real-world experiences to discover and be influenced by artists and designers.

Art and design underpins the whole curriculum, being an integral part of the “end product” of each topic, and the main driver for our summer term’s creative topic. The summer term culminates in an art week when the whole school works towards creating costumes, masks, and music for a celebratory art parade around the local community.

Children are engaged in a range of cookery lessons, with the additional offer of after-school clubs when available. Additionally, children will develop their textile and sewing abilities throughout their time at Spire and apply these skills to a variety of creations.

We intend for each child to be proud of the products they design, make and evaluate in their art and design lessons. The nature of these products become more complex with age and ability.

Subject Information:

Intent:

Our curriculum at Spire is carefully planned and organised to promote a deep understanding of the projects and concepts that we cover through quality first teaching.

The central aim of our school curriculum is to develop the whole child and shape their minds for positive learning experiences about the world around them. We strongly believe in encouraging curiosity, exploration and developing a keen sense of self-identity.

Art and design stimulates pupils’ imaginations by exposing them to new techniques and artists and by giving them the tools to express themselves. Art and design in school works closely in tandem with our topic-based curriculum and are linked into the final project produced at the end of each topic. Through our art and design teaching and learning, pupils develop a respect for the art surrounding them and they develop skills to evaluate and debate.

We intend for all children to take part and enjoy submersing themselves in a wide variety of artist skills and learning journeys, including with pencils, paint, clay, collage and computer-based products. This includes a photography unit, our work on sculptures, work with local artists, mosaic, sewing and cookery skills.

Implementation:

Our curriculum at Spire is carefully planned and organised to promote a deep understanding of the projects and concepts that we cover through quality first teaching. We do this by equipping our pupils with the skills and qualities they need to thrive both within the curriculum and within the wider world.

The skills and knowledge the children develop throughout each art topic are mapped across each year group and are progressive throughout the school. Each child has a set of milestone statements and vocabulary in their sketchbooks which records their knowledge, practice, and development.

Impact:

We are confident our curriculum is successful in the teaching and learning of Art and Design through a variety of monitoring and feedback activities which have taken place through school.

The use of sketchbooks, that follow the children through their school life, means that children can review, modify and develop their ideas to achieve high quality outcomes. The children can develop their understanding and application of texture, shape, form, colour, perspective, and composition. This skill of evaluating along with high quality teaching and support allows the children to achieve age-related expectations at the end of their cohort year.

Children’s art is widely displayed both in and out of school with displays and local community art projects including shop displays, a link with Chatsworth House, art parades and entrance into local competitions such as Chesterfield in Bloom.

We have taken part in the Arts Mark Award through our partnership with Chatsworth House. We proudly accepted the award in January 2022. The work of our children was praised by the moderator, as was the work and dedication of the staff towards the project (including the efforts of the art and design coordinator).

What are art and design lessons like?

All art and design is linked to the current topic undertaken by each year group. An artist, style and technique are taught, analysed, and critiqued over several weeks. Key vocabulary, artist and style are written on the board and referred to throughout the lesson. If iPads are available then a PicCollage is made using key dates, facts, and famous works. Also, they can be used as a research tool or as an art medium. Pictures or videos are given to the children to illustrate the techniques being taught along with work by the artist. These are dissected and critiqued by the children. Using art books the children copy, adapt, and create art in the style of the artist. This is achieved by using the techniques taught and having access to varied materials. Guidance and verbal feedback are given by the teacher. Students critique their own work: they look for areas to improve; highlight areas of which they are proud; and check that the success criteria have been met. All work is dated and signed.

Long-term subject overview:

	Terms 1 and 2	Terms 3 and 4	Terms 5 and 6
Year 3 and 4	To build Stone Henge using varied materials.	To sketch landscapes in different regions of the world.	Design a healthy plate and evaluate it. Grow fruit and vegetables. Analyse, evaluate and adapt the work of the term’s artist, Vincent Van Gogh.
Year 5	To critique William Morris. To create a Victorian Christmas.	Draw and sketch features they have observed in the natural world.	To critique and replicate works in varied materials from artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Andy Goldsworthy, and Henry Moore.
Year 6	Plan and create a meal using rationed food used in WWII. Learn a 1940s tea dance and perform it for their parents.	Analyse early Native American art and what inspired them. Learn and produce a basket using basket weaving techniques and varied materials.	Look at art pieces of unconventional beauty. Draw faces in the style of Pablo Picasso inspired by the class text, Wonder. Use textiles and fabrics to produce costumes for their end-of-year production.

What else is happening in art and design?

Last year the whole school took part in the Christmas tree decorations at St. Marys church and the whole school also went on a visit to see their work. For this summer's art parade, each child made a costume themed around Paris and the Olympic Games and they walked around the local area playing musical instruments. The year 6 children made their own costumes and sets for their production of The Lion King and made the program and posters to advertise their play. The school also used art to support World Book Day, Anti-Bullying week, Red Nose Day and Comic Relief. The parents were also invited in for parents’ afternoons to do craft with the children and a Christmas craft afternoon with Christmas music.

Art and design at home:

All children are encouraged to look for art all around them, not just in art galleries, and to visit the local area.

Chesterfield art trail: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/explore-chesterfield/chesterfield-art-trail

Chatsworth House virtual learning experience: https://www.chatsworth.org/visit-chatsworth/visitor-information/learning/virtual-learning-experience/