Art & Design Technology at Leedon Lower School
Intent
Art and Design Technology provides an enriching personal experience which enables each child to identify ideas and through a creative process, communicate intellectually and practically. Art and Design Technology brings a unique dimension to the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum for each individual by developing specific aspects of aesthetic and critical awareness. It adds significantly to the ‘excellence and enjoyment’ factor for many of our children.
Leedon believes that art is a vital part of children’s education and has a significant and valuable role in the taught curriculum, as well as the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils. Children will develop their understanding of the visual language of art with effective teaching and considered sequences of lessons and experiences. Understanding of the visual elements of art and design (line, tone, texture, colour, pattern, shape, 3D form) will be developed by providing a curriculum which will enable children to reach their full potential. As part of the DT curriculum they will begin to explore how everyday things are created - from concept to finished product and the need they fulfill in our lives, designing, making and completing their own products.
Implementation
Children will experience an exciting and varied, art curriculum which develops their knowledge and skills. This will be supported, where appropriate, by learning outside the classroom. Critical abilities will be developed by studying a range of different artists. All children, across the school, will have the opportunity to develop: ideas and creativity, skills and mastery of processes and knowledge of art and cultures. In DT they will look at the products they use in their own lives and the people who have designed them. They will be encouraged to develop lateral thinking skills to design and make a range of products using a wide array of skills: using tools, found and repurposed materials; including technology and research. Teachers will ensure their classroom is a visually stimulating and creative environment, which celebrate the process of learning, practising and developing skills in art and design lessons. Links will be made across the curriculum, where possible and appropriate, to enrich and extend the teaching of other subjects.
The National Curriculum (2014) provides the framework for a balanced programme of study which clearly builds on previous work and takes account of children’s experiences.
The skills and knowledge that children will develop throughout each art and design technology topic are mapped across each year group and throughout the school to ensure progression. The emphasis on knowledge ensures that children understand the context of the artwork, as well as the artists that they are learning about and being inspired by. This enables links to other curriculum areas, with children developing a considerable knowledge of individual artists as well as individual works and art movements. A similar focus on skills means that children are given opportunities to express their creative imagination, as well as practise and develop mastery in the key processes of art: drawing, painting, printing, textiles and sculpture.
The school will plan a range of activities in art and design technology, which provides opportunities for children to:
We provide a curriculum where art and design technology is taught as an integral part of cross-curricular lessons and where links are made with other subjects whenever possible. Instructional and expressive objectives are balanced i.e. art work is sometimes directed in a more formal way whilst at other times a piece of work may take a more imaginative form. Or where a problem is set for children to explore and come up with a creative solution. Teachers ensure that parts of some tasks result in a range of individual responses and their value is recognised. Time for reflection and review enables both children and the teacher to set individual goals.
Teachers provide support to individuals with Special Educational Needs, including More Able and Talented children. Children’s individual needs are addressed through in-depth planning and the provision of resources which support learning. Targets identified in children’s Educational Health Care Plans and Provision Maps are specified in teachers’ planning
Impact
By the end of each Key Stage, children are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. Each class teacher makes careful observations of artwork and DT projects on an individual and group basis. The skills in each area, for each year group, show clear development and progression. Children are given the opportunity to both self and peer assess their artwork against the different objectives.
Children in Early Years are given many opportunities to work with art and craft media. They are encouraged to develop their senses, to be creative and to discuss their work. They begin to learn how to use some tools and experience paints and colour mixing. These early experiences are valuable preparation for transition into key Stage One.
Evidence of work is found in children’s topic books, sketch books and displays and the arts supported by:
· on-going subject monitoring and work scrutiny to ensure curriculum coverage
· monitoring whole school planning (short, medium and long term),
· supporting teachers e.g. co-planning, team teaching, observations and feedback,
· reviewing resource provision,
· evaluating implementation of the Art and Design Technology policy throughout school.
Our Art and DT Learning Keys can be found by clicking the link below: